


The Dragon Prince

by OnlyStraightForJongup



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Adventure, Dragons, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fantasy, Humor, M/M, Magic, Mainly cause dae's an idiot but jae puts him in his place don't you worry, Not really enemies but there's dislike, Romance, prince!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-04-04 06:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14014314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyStraightForJongup/pseuds/OnlyStraightForJongup
Summary: "Absolutely No Princes, Knights, or General Rescuers.  This Means You."Daehyun sees the sign, adjusts his crown, and waltzes right by.  He's come to rescue the dragon's prisoner and won't take no for an answer.





	1. In Which Daehyun Makes Multiple Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> AU of Patricia C. Wrede's series, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles! Youngjae's situation as royalty who wants to live with a dragon comes from that, as does the name Mendenbar, and the kingdom name Linderwall. The other kingdom name, Amaurot, comes from Thomas More's Utopia! (I'm bad at naming things, if that's not clear)

The road to meet the King of the Mountain Dragons looked rather plain, yellowish in color from the stone and steep enough to drive Daehyun out of breath. He tried to ignore his own panting as sweat dampened his embroidered shirt, running under a light plate of armor. 

The salt burned the scratches littering his arms, a painful sting from the unfortunate thorns on the area's scraggly, dispersed trees. Seriously, why did a _plant_ possibly need such a weapon? Daehyun grimaced.

The sharp rocks below him formed an uneven staircase, complete with ragged crevasses that forced Daehyun to backtrack and find new paths to avoid them. His legs burned with the effort of climbing it, knees aching, and the treacherous ground required his whole attention. Such a thing didn't bode well considering he searched out an enemy known for watching from the skies. 

Daehyun regripped his helmet, looping it under one arm. He should abandon it somewhere, leave it to pick up after he returned with the princess. Wouldn't a helmet only impede him anyway? Despite his painfully low knowledge of dragons, he's almost certain metal would only hurt him, should the temperature rise. It would've been smart to decide that at the bottom of the mountain, but y'know, better late than never.

He raised his eyes, hoping to find energy in the bright blue sky. From each small overlook, the faraway forests seemed to beckon him, as did the small buildings of the town he'd left that morning. Yet, his drive carried him on forward. 

“Ah!” He bashed his leather-covered foot against the sandy rock, effectively stopping him from staring into the heavens. Daehyun reached down to rub it and spotted two signs almost directly before him.

The larger sign had neat penmanship, cursive letters which rolled like soft hills, nothing too ornate but also making it quite clear whoever had written it had come from a noble family. Daehyun squinted at the sun-bleached, graying letters, which read:

‘Welcome to the cave of Yongguk, King of the Mountain Dragons.’

Despite the grandeur of the sign and how it announced his successful arrival, Daehyun found his attention stolen from it by a smaller sign, written in stark black block letters. He crouched before it, running his fingers over the words as though he needed help reading them. This sign hadn't had the chance to fade in the sun yet, rather maintaining the contrast of dark words on light-colored wood. Daehyun tilted his head to match its crookedness.

“Absolutely no princes, knights, or general rescuers. This means you.” He said the words aloud, pondering them. The sloppy letters made it quite clear it hadn’t been written by an elite, and Daehyun frowned. Who could have written such a sign for the beast?

He stood back up, looking around as though he could find the mysterious scribe hiding in the jaggers. With a sigh, Daehyun adjusted his small crown – perhaps unnecessarily, but a prince must always look his best – and swiped sweat from his forehead. His breaths still came in heavy huffs, and he paused, waiting until his heartbeat slowed.

He needed his wits about him; he would soon be at battle.

Daehyun pressed a hand to his chest, where a light plate of armor covered him. Metal or not, he refused to walk into a fight naked.

He scrambled up the final rocks, landing on a wide ledge. Before him, a small door stood, stark pale wood against gray stone. Suppressing a shiver, he gathered himself.

Daehyun’s hand dropped to his side, caressing a long, cracked sheath. Soon he’d pull his sword from his scabbard and demand the dragon release his captured princess. The beast would grow angry, throwing fire and lashing his tail at Daehyun, but he’d persist until it crawled back into its hole, defeated.

He puffed out his chest, slipping his sword from its sheath just enough to see the silver catch the light. His sharpened baby; he called her Solana. With her in hand, he’d march up to Yongguk and demand the rescue of the princess Daehyun had heard about, who the dragon had enslaved years ago.

Himchan had warned him of the princess’ reported insanity at the hands of the beast, and Daehyun worried over her safety. She must be so scared – trapped at the hands of a monster and forced to obey its wills. Daehyun would liberate her and return her to her kingdom, where they would then marry and join his kingdom with hers.

With a long, deep inhale for courage, and a fast, harsh exhale for strength, he pulled Solana from her sheath and stepped past the sign. As though taunting him, the wind started up. A shiver of fear ran through him at the idea of dragon wings and dusty tornados which left princes and knights floundering for cover, but the breeze only ruffled his hair. He steadied his crown.

Daehyun approached the large stone cave. Calling it such implied little of its grandeur; the cave was truly a hollowed mountain, and Daehyun had little idea of what rested within it. He feared to find it littered with bones and treasure and complete with a poor princess withered away her youth and beauty. 

His drive to save her ignited, and he approached the human-sized door. A small string hung from the side of it, attached to a bell. Someone had posted a worn piece of parchment on the stone behind it, protected by the overhanging rock. Daehyun peered closer to read it.

“Please pull for entry?” He looked left and then right, holding Solana in uncertain hands. Should he pull it? It seemed like a bad way to summon a dragon.

Slipping his sword back into her sheath at his side, he grabbed the string’s tassel and gave it a sharp tug, unsure of how else to call the beast. The bell rang sharper and louder than he had expected.

He had, admittedly, imagined a much less sophisticated home – more monstrous and with fewer legible signs. Daehyun had never seen a real dragon’s cave, but he had defeated several ogres, and their mud-splattered homes smelled of decay.

He may have extrapolated his expectations onto Yongguk’s home, but no matter – neat house or not, the dragon had a princess captured against her will. Daehyun would rescue her.

No one answered the door, and he frowned, reaching for the tassel again.

“Go away!” A man’s voice came from inside, and Daehyun started. Had the dragon spoken? The door was much too small for any beast – no doubt for human visitors. He’d believed the princess would answer it, but the voice which had called out had clearly not been a princess.

At the same time, Daehyun hadn’t expected a dragon’s voice to sound so… normal. Weren't they supposed to have the whole ‘rumbling deep voice such that of a groaning mountain?’

“Hello?” His hesitant voice wavered. He moved his head as though a different angle would allow him to see through the wood. Thin cracks spiderwebbed across the bowing door. “Princess?”

“Go away!” The man--beast?--spoke again, now higher and crackling with more annoyance. 

“Not until I speak with your prisoner, dragon!” Daehyun declared. “I’ve come to rescue her and defeat you.”

The door banged open, nearly scraping the tip of Daehyun’s nose. He eeped and jumped away, flinching as it crashed into the stone wall beside him. A small splinter sent flying from the collision struck his arm, making him gasp and clamp his hand over it. 

The motion sent his helmet crashing to the ground, clanking as it struck stone and rolling away. Daehyun looked up at the human--not dragon--before him, his face flushed red from embarrassment.

“There is no princess.” The man stood with his arms crossed, a motion that pushed the material of his long, purple cloak aside, revealing a plain shirt, loose shorts, and a thin black scabbard at his side. His deep hood shaded his eyes from Daehyun, revealing only a button nose and lips thinned into an angry frown.

“No, no,” Daehyun waved away the odd man’s words. He squinted, trying to see his eyes, but the stranger kept his head tilted in such a way that kept him hidden. “There must be. I’m Prince Daehyun of Amaurot, here to rescue her. Who are you?”

“Didn’t you read the sign?”

The exasperated voice surprised Daehyun, and his eyebrows furrowed. “A cheap trick like that wouldn't –”

“By Mendenbar’s throne!” The man stepped forward, and Daehyun half-raised Solana, unsure whether to stop him. He had never heard such a phrase before, and it only added to the stranger’s bizarre appearance. “This isn’t a trick, and you need to leave.”

“Not ‘till I rescue her." Daehyun wanted to raise Solana further but did not have the room because of the rocky outcropping. “I’ve come to fight Yongguk, King of the Mountain Dragons.” Chin held high, he waited for the man to fall back, for Daehyun's daring and willingness to battle the beast to shock him.

Instead, the man scoffed, and Daehyun got the uncomfortable feeling he was rolling his eyes from beneath his deep hood. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands tight around the golden hilt of his sword. “Who are you to tell me what will and won’t happen here?” The man took another calm step back, still not raising his dagger.

“You don’t need to know that.” The man’s shoulders grew even tighter with the question, his voice clipped and one hand clenching into a fist. Daehyun frowned. A prince deserved better treatment, especially after climbing a long way.

“Are you trying to scare me off?” If he were honest, it had worked more than he would’ve liked to admit. The way the man's exotic clothes managed to hide his face clear down to his nose unnerved Daehyun. He wished he recognized the styling of the garment, but as it were, he could do little but guess regarding the stranger's identity. It didn't matter. Either way, he refused to lose face before him. “I won’t even consider leaving, unless you reveal yourself to me.”

The man sighed, shoulders slumping. He reached up, ignoring Daehyun’s flinch, and pulled his hood back, letting it drop onto his shoulders and reveal his face. “My name’s Youngjae.”

Daehyun’s eyes narrowed as he took in the man. He stood only a couple centimeters shorter, but his face still held a youthful roundness, making him appear deceitfully innocent. Youngjae’s eyes looked bright, albeit annoyed, and he shifted so his weight was on one leg, tapping his fingers against the other.

“Are we done here? Clearly, I'm not a princess, and I was in the middle of something.”

“Not until I see her,” Daehyun's lip jutted out as he finally let his sword drop. “Where are you keeping her? Why are you?” Learning Youngjae’s name hadn’t answered much, nor had seeing his eyes, though Daehyun let out a relieved breath as some of the mystery surrounded Youngjae faded. 

“She doesn’t fucking exist.” Youngjae switched his balance to both legs, and his hand dropped to his hip. A human had no reason to keep the girl imprisoned; why would Youngjae hide her? “Read the sign next time. You’re the third idiot this week who’s come here.”

“Others? Who?”

“Didn’t bother to remember. I just know fucking Prince Himchan spread rumors all over his damn kingdom--and neighboring ones considering your sorry ass walked here. Where’d you say you were from? Amaurot?”

Daehyun frowned, watching Youngjae run his eyes over him only to scoff. A blush rose in Daehyun’s cheeks, and he cleared his throat to hide embarrassment, one hand rising to adjust his crown and fix his sweaty, blonde hair before he could stop it. Youngjae rolled his eyes.

Flushing, Daehyun tried to save some ground. “You shouldn’t speak to me so commonly.” He needed to regain control of the conversation.

“Don't expect respect where none's deserved. Worst thing about princes is that you think you’re better than everyone else.”

Daehyun frowned, his eyebrows scrunching on his face. He slipped his sword back into his sheath and peered at the dragon’s--company? visitor?--Daehyun didn’t know why Youngjae was within the entrance. “I’m of noble blood.”

“So? Blood’s a trifle a trinket, far as I’m concerned.”

“Says the commoner.”

“Says the idiot assumer.” Youngjae sighed and dropped his eyes. He looked sullen, and Daehyun wondered if he regretted his harsh words. Before Daehyun could summon an arrogant grin, Youngjae muttered, “idiot acts like he can see blood in big words.”

“I’m wrong?” Daehyun’s eyebrows rose. "Where are you from?"

Youngjae's eyes grew wide, and he got the idea Youngjae hadn't planned on Daehyun overhearing him. "What?" He laughed, his eyes darting to the side. "I’m not, I’m only-–" Youngjae was a rather horrible liar.

"You are." He took a step closer, and the truth hit him like a firecracker. The rumors of a princess were wrong, but only barely. “Of course you are.” His voice dropped low as the realization dawned before growing loud and bright. “The beast didn’t steal a princess but a prince!”

Youngjae’s eyes widened, and he raised his hands, shaking them back and forth and echoing the motion with his head, but his wide eyes had already confirmed the truth. A huge smile lit up Daehyun’s face.

“You don’t need to hide from me, dear prince!” he said, clapping Youngjae on the shoulder and ignoring his flinch. “Dragons are hard to defeat. I won’t condemn you for not escaping. Summon the beast; I will rescue you.”

“What? No-–”

“I planned to wed the princess after her rescue but--” His eyes skated over Youngjae’s broad shoulders and to his plump lips, sweet nose, and intelligent eyes.“--you are no princess, and I don’t mind.”

Daehyun stepped forward, raising a hand to stroke his cheek. Youngjae stepped out-of-range as annoyance flashed in his eyes, his mouth drawn into a tight line. He pulled his dagger from his scabbard and pointed it at Daehyun. 

“What’re you doing?” Daehyun’s voice rose into a yelp unfit for those with royal heritage.

“You need to listen to me,” Youngjae said, the sharp tip of his weapon emphasizing his oral point. “I don’t want to be rescued.”

“You’re delusional!” Daehyun took a step back as Youngjae raised his dagger even higher, one of his hands dropping to his own sword. “Allow me to defeat the beast, and I’ll help you. I promise.”

“Fight me first.” Youngjae’s smile widened, showing more teeth. “If you can beat me, we’ll go from there.”

“I would never fight you! I came to rescue--Youngjae!” Daehyun threw himself backward as Youngjae lunged at him. His metal helmet clattered to the ground, and Daehyun scrambled to pull Solana from her sheath. He blocked the thrust and backed up another step.

Youngjae lunged again, and Daehyun caught a gentle glimmer around the knife. Magic. His jaw set, and he blocked again. “Why are you fighting me? Let me help you!”

“You said you want to rescue me." Youngjae's words came out in huffed clumps as they continued to fight, or rather, as Daehyun struggled to block Youngjae's attempts without truly retaliating. “Fucking beat me then.”

“I’m not here to fight you!” Daehyun took another couple steps back to escape Youngjae’s incessant attack. A rock caught behind his heel, and he stumbled, colliding hard against the ground. His armor clanged against the stones, forcing the breath from his lungs. 

Daehyun groaned, gasping for air. His vision went spotty, and he gaped as he pushed himself onto his elbows, not yet able to stand.

Youngjae pursued him, lowering his dagger so it pointed straight at Daehyun’s exposed neck. A small cry bubbled up in his throat as he stared down the weapon. 

“You’re so unprepared. Did you think it’d be easy to beat a dragon?”

Daehyun hadn't recovered enough to scramble away. He supported his weight on one arm, the other moving to shield his face. “I’m an accomplished warrior." He’d said those words before, but they didn’t hold the same weight now, as he cowered on the floor.

“Not with dragons,” Youngjae said. He kicked Solana, and Daehyun winced, protesting with a sound high in his throat. “Too long and bulky. You’re used to fighting large, slow opponents. I beat you easily with just a dagger.”

As he mentioned his weapon, he dropped it from Daehyun’s throat, and Daehyun finally managed to find his feet. “Magic dagger,” Daehyun bent over to grab Solana and sheath her before Youngjae stepped on her again or did something worse. “And I had to refrain from hurting you!”

“Please,” Youngjae said, rolling his eyes. “I went easy on you. If you knew how to defend yourself, I would’ve had to actually try.” His eyes trailed over Daehyun’s minimal armor. “You can’t move quick enough. Yongguk would take you out in a second.”

“Don’t act as though I’m incompetent.”

Youngjae raised his eyebrows. “You lost to a librarian.”

“No, a prince,” Daehyun said, frowning. “A warrior.”

Youngjae scoffed. “Not a warrior. I’m not interested in battle or--or rescuing princesses who probably made deals with the dragons to be kidnapped anyway.”

“Deals?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” Youngjae said, crossing his arms again. “I know at least three whose kingdoms wanted them married and so paid a dragon to steal them away.” A sudden grin split across his face, and his eyes lit up. “Would you like directions? I can lead you there, and the fight’ll be easy.”

Daehyun’s forehead wrinkled. “No. I have honor. I came to rescue you.”

“You came to rescue a princess,” Youngjae corrected. “I’m not one. Doesn’t sound all that honorable to say you liberated the King of the Mountain Dragon’s librarian, does it? Go get your glory elsewhere.”

Daehyun’s mouth dropped open, only getting worse when Youngjae shooed him away with a smile. “Living with this beast drove you insane,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “You--you’re crazy.”

“Be careful. You’re speaking like a commoner and look like one too.”

Daehyun’s jaw snapped shut with his words, and he blinked as he straightened his posture again. “Right.” He cleared his throat to gather himself. “My point still stands,” he said, matter-of-fact. “No one wants to live with a dragon.”

“I do,” Youngjae grinned at Daehyun. “Is it so hard to imagine?”

“Yes! Why? Dragons are beasts--violent and terrifying--”

“Clearly you’ve never met one. And I’m not here to teach you. If you’d like directions to another cave, tell me now. If you wouldn’t, then leave. I'm not obligated to educate you.”

“Wait, but-–”

“Do you want directions?” Youngjae said, tapping his foot on the ground.

“No, but-–”

And with that, Youngjae turned, walked through the door, and closed it behind him. It shut with a heavy bang, though nowhere near as loud as the crash it had made when Youngjae slammed it open.

Daehyun stared at the wooden door, all alone, wide eyes taking in the cracks once again. “So what now?” he said, whispering the words to himself. “He wants to stay--should I leave?”

Spinning on his heel, Daehyun used a hand as a visor, staring down the rocky mountainside. He had a long walk back, and sweat already coated his face, dripping from under his hairline to run down his neck. 

Scooping up his helmet, he stared down the path, grimacing at the thought of leaving with nothing to show for all his efforts. The distant forests still called him home, but he loathed the idea of finishing a week-long journey with complete failure.

Not to mention the prince--Youngjae. He'd made it clear he wanted Daehyun to leave, but there had to be a trick somewhere. No way would a prince choose living with dragons--especially as a what? A librarian?--over ruling a kingdom.

Somehow the dragon had tricked him or had manipulated him into doing it. Daehyun groaned, looking up towards the bright blue sky. He couldn’t leave yet. 

Youngjae needed help, and if Daehyun didn’t do it then no one would.

Daehyun refused to be one of the rescuers Youngjae chased away. With a huff, he started down the mountainside. He needed to plan, and – he wiped more sweat off his face, shaking his head to get it out of his eyes – he needed to ditch the armor and get a better sword.

  
  
  
  


“You failed?” Himchan said, his eyebrows high on his forehead. “But you’ve never lost a fight before!”

“Yeah, thanks, please keep telling me that; I feel so much better,” Daehyun said, crossing his arms and grumbling. “Do you have one or not?”

“And why do you need a new sword?” Himchan paused between bites of food, raising a suspicious eyebrow. “You traveled a long way for it.”

Daehyun took a bite of fruit, almost wincing from the exotic, tart flavor. He’d forgotten Himchan’s kingdom’s love of sour tastes, which he certainly didn’t share. It’s not like he could spit it out though. Even with his and Himchan’s friendship, he still was a visiting prince from another kingdom.

“Amaurot knights specialize in fighting ogres because they plague our kingdom. Our blacksmiths make weapons suited for them, and none fit for a dragon.”

In truth, he hadn't taken the time to return to Amaurot. If he returned home now, he'd find heaps of work waiting for him and wouldn't manage to get away for months. Even as the youngest in the royal family, he played a vital role.

Himchan ate the sour fruit with no problem, taking the time to consider Daehyun's statement. His stomach churned as he realized the polite thing to do would be to eat the rest with him.

“So you come to ask to use my personal blacksmith, after you failed to retrieve the princess in the first place? I like you, Daehyun, but her time is too precious.”

Himchan still thought Yongguk had a princess. Daehyun didn’t correct him: if Youngjae returned, other kingdoms would scorn him because of his inability to rescue himself. Himchan had a good heart, but this situation required more sensitivity than Daehyun trusted him to possess.

“I could do it, with the right weapon," he pushed. "Himchan, I spoke to her. I promised to save her... My honor rests on her rescue.”

So maybe he was laying the lies on somewhat thick but receiving a quality sword was vital to Daehyun’s plan. He’d spent a long time on it, plotting and rolling his eyes thoughtfully until he came up with a brand new idea.

He’d bring Youngjae back from the dragon; this time he’d succeed.

“I suppose,” Himchan said, grimacing at him. “But only because of our friendship. Understand? I wouldn’t do this for anyone else.”

“Thank you!” Daehyun said, his voice bordering on too loud. He took another bite of shitty fruit to calm his spirits. A mistake, though it certainly put a heavy damper on his happiness.

Himchan didn’t notice his pained cringing. “I want to meet her after." He shook his knife at Daehyun. “Don’t go marry her and disappear, you hear?”

“Of course not,” Daehyun said, giving Himchan a thin smile.

“I can't wait to be at your side for the wedding!”

“Right.”

By the stars, he was screwed.

  
  
  
  


Daehyun clambered up the stones, huffing but also doing considerably better than the last time he’d followed the route. Without heavy armor and with the correct perceptions on the walk, it was almost pleasant.

The sun beat down on him, but as he traveled higher and higher, the wind picked up, keeping him near perfect temperature, a far cry from his past sorry state. No wonder Youngjae had out-dueled him. Last time, he’d raced in sword-drawn and pants-down.

Daehyun grunted as he heaved himself up the final rough step. He grinned as he passed the sign, tapping his hand on the wood. No princes. Hah. He’d get to the bottom of this and determine how to break Youngjae from whatever magic had corrupted him.

Yes, magic. Daehyun had thought long and hard about why any man would want to live with a beast, and he’d come up dry.

That left only one possible solution: Magic. He’d known of the slyness of wily dragons, and Youngjae’s words only convinced him further of that. Youngjae had even used a magic dagger! Perhaps that’s where the spell obtained its power.

Youngjae seemed bright, and Daehyun’s heart pinged with sympathy. 

How long had he been under the beast’s control? How much of his life had he lost, slaving away as a dragon’s servant? Himchan's rumors had come with tales of dozens of failed rescue attempts, most thwarted by the princess herself – so Youngjae.

He must’ve spent years there, the poor man. 

Daehyun had to save him.

And he knew how. It would require stealth over anything else. Normally, he found out-right approaches more honorable, but the dragon had relinquished his right to respect when he’d enslaved Youngjae. Daehyun felt no remorse over breaking into his cave.

He moved to the door, and as expected, found it locked. With a small, self-satisfied smile, Daehyun pulled a thin strip of metal from his pocket, and after only a minute of fumbling, the lock clicked, louder than he wished.

Wincing, he waited for the sign of someone overhearing, waited for the tapping of footsteps to sound over his tell-tale heart. Nothing. Complete silence except for the stirring of the gentle wind. Daehyun grinned and slipped through the door.

He needed to trick Youngjae – or rather trick the spell which had captured him. To do so, Daehyun had to locate its source of power. It had to remain nearby Youngjae to work, and Daehyun predicted he carried on his person. 

Despite his planning, he didn’t know how he’d convince Youngjae to give the object to him, but spells meant to control the mind always have tics. With the advantage of surprise, he could locate its weakness. If he did, Youngjae could possibly escape the spell on his own.

All in good time; he had a ways to go before reaching that portion of his operation. Daehyun moved through the threshold, letting out a small, shaky breath as he shut the door behind him and plunged himself into darkness. 

The cave had no rooms, not in a human sense. He didn't dare light a lantern, so Daehyun had to deal with the near-complete darkness, feeling his way through with his fingertips rasping along the scratchy rock. He jabbed his foot against some piece of furniture – a small desk, perhaps? – and hissed.

The entryway opened into a hallway with sporadic candles lighting the way down, leading to other rooms. He hesitated, pressing his lips together. To go towards the light or away? He dreaded wandering in the dark, but if he ran into the dragon, his plan would become more difficult.

Daehyun chose the light, inching his way along. Despite his initial anticipations, the cavern was cool and dry, no gross moss on the walls or water falling from the ceiling. Under his feet was soft carpet, which helped silence his steps as he approached the first lit cavern. The rock stretched near ten meters above his head, the arched entrance nearly as large.

Clearly, despite the human-sized entrance out front, this series of tunnels was meant for dragons. How deep did it go into the mountain? What had the dragon filled the space with? Daehyun knew less about them than he wished.

He peeked into the room, frowning as he spotted buckets filled with soapy water and the remains of a cooking fire. Princesses cooked for their dragons; he should’ve expected Youngjae did the same.

The poor soul probably called himself the librarian rather than a servant only because of the spell weaving through his mind, entangling him like a thin-holed fishing net.

Pity rolled through Daehyun, from the top of his head to the tip of his fingers, tingling as it passed through him. Before, he’d wished to save Youngjae for his honor, but now – he couldn’t bear to abandon him.

Daehyun didn’t understand it. Youngjae had been cruel to him, insulting his heritage and his abilities, but Daehyun couldn’t refrain from wishing to help him. 

No human should have to stand alone against both a dragon and his magic. Was Youngjae screaming in his head, wishing for escape but unable to attain it? 

Mind magic wasn’t something to mess with. Daehyun had once made a joke about magicians forcing their magic on people to a good friend, only to apologize as he’d grown tight-lipped and offended, even with only a jest.

He peered into the next doorway, jolting when he spotted Youngjae not far inside. Daehyun breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't notice him.

Youngjae was draped over an ornate armchair, somehow managing a comfortable position where his stomach was against the seat, strewn sideways so his bare feet stuck in the air.

His hair looked messy, and one hand absently played with the strands as he flipped pages of an old book. Whatever book he read had completely caught his attention, and he rested his cheek against the back of his hand, feet swinging absently in the air.

Youngjae’s shirt rode up his back, leaving a sliver of skin poking through. The worn purple cloak Daehyun remembered – a remnant from his old life, no doubt – rested over the top of the chair. He looked like he belonged in a library. 

As Daehyun watched, smiling, he reached down and grabbed his cup off the floor, taking a sip of tea before returning it into place. He bent his neck side-to-side, and Daehyun winced at the sound of several loud cracks. Youngjae sighed, relaxing back into the seat and yawning.

He made a content hum, raising his book again, and Daehyun couldn’t take his eyes off him, frozen in the hallway.

If – when – Daehyun rescued him, they’d marry. The idea of it made his heart speed in his chest and his smile grow larger, until it took over his entire face.

Sure, marrying a guy would surprise his family, but it wasn’t unheard of, and Daehyun had enough siblings he wouldn’t need descendants. They could make it work. Youngjae shifted to turn a heavy page and brushed the hair from his eyes.

He could imagine seeing this sight in their own castle: Youngjae lounging on a chair with a book, hair tousled and clothes wrinkled. Even now, Daehyun wished he could go in and watch from closer. He wouldn’t bother Youngjae, but he wanted to watch his eyes trail over the words.

Did he frown or smile as he read? 

It wasn't time for those thoughts yet. Daehyun shook his head to clear them.

Youngjae didn’t have his scabbard on, which meant it was likely either in the entryway or in his bedroom. He had to find it and figure out how to break the spell.

Worst case, he would steal it and take it back to Amaurot, where either the distance or Jongup's magic would solve the problem. He managed to pull himself out of the doorway and carry on down the hall. The next light led to another long hallway, but he didn’t dare go down it. The new one's ceiling stood even higher and had more candles dotting the wide expanses of wall.

Daehyun didn’t want to run into the dragon. It seemed like a gathering place, and the King of the Dragons had to have many visitors.

He turned back from the door, peering into the darkness. Should he check the entry? Daehyun had no clue where Youngjae slept.

“What are you doing here?” Daehyun whipped around at the voice and jerked away at the sight of Youngjae, clutching his hand to his heart. His surprised yelp echoed down the halls.

Eyes narrowed and mouth in a grim line, Youngjae crossed his arms. He still didn’t wear his scabbard, but he'd tossed his cloak on. It blended into the dim light, granting his silhouette an unreal vagueness to it.

“Youngjae,” Daehyun started, raising his hands to placate him. “I’m here to--here to--” He didn't quite know what he planned to say, and the words fizzled out before he said much of anything.

Youngjae set his jaw. “I told you not to come back. I could kill you for this.”

Daehyun took a step back, wrinkles marring his brow. This run-in couldn't ruin everything; he needed to get through to Youngjae. Maybe if the sword was the source of the spell, the distance would weaken its hold on Youngjae enough he could reach him. “Youngjae, please listen to me. A spell has hold of you and it-–”

“That’s what you think?” Youngjae laughed, loud and biting and unamused. Daehyun winced. No, not free from the spell. “Do you really think I would only stay here because of magic? Because I don't have free will?”

Daehyun swallowed hard as Youngjae seemed to rise and occupy even more space, his anger inflating. “I think you need help.”

The wrong answer. Youngjae stepped closer, his expression tight. Daehyun backed away and matched him step-for-step. Good thing Youngjae didn’t have his weapon, or else Daehyun would've feared him truly acting on his threat.

“You’re wrong,” he said, his voice dangerously calm and quiet. His eyes narrowed further. “And if you don’t leave now, you’ll regret it.”

He looked towards the hall which led to the entrance. Perhaps giving up would be best, but Daehyun couldn’t do it. He couldn’t abandon Youngjae, not like this. He held his hands up. “Give me an ear. A minute.”

“I’ve heard enough.” Youngjae condemned him. “I don’t owe you an explanation of my life, and you don’t get to tell me I’m living it wrong.”

“I'm worried for you.” Daehyun’s eyes pleaded with him, wide and brimming with concern.

“You don’t know me.” Youngjae shook his head. “Not at all.”

Daehyun moved closer, reaching out for him. “I want to.” 

Youngjae’s face darkened as he shifted away. “No, I don’t think you do. I think you want to change me, and I won’t let you.”

“What?” Daehyun’s eyebrows fell down his face, scrunching together. He only wanted to free him from the spell.

Youngjae laughed again, all bitter and angry. “You came here under the presumption I’m delusional or stupid, and you want to teach me a better way to live. You probably think I’ll bat my eyelashes and just follow you home.”

No, not delusional and stupid. Youngjae came off as intelligent, his eyes keen and calculating. Daehyun feared the work of something far more sinister. “A spell –”

“Cast by who? Not Yongguk. Dragon magic doesn't work like that.” Youngjae’s eyebrow rose, one side of his mouth rising as Daehyun spluttered. “And it’s not hard for dragons to find princesses for themselves. It’s rare for the King to even have one, let alone me. We had to change my title just to halt the complaints.”

Daehyun hadn’t given a lot of thought to the specifics. “But – why?” he asked. “Aren't you lonely here?”

Youngjae’s face tightened enough for Daehyun to recognize he’d hit something that hurt. “What part of ‘I don’t owe you shit’ do you not understand? You need to leave.”

“What book were you reading?” Daehyun asked, ignoring his demand. He moved closer, and Youngjae’s eyes flashed to the side, betraying his insecurity for the first time.

Youngjae shook his head, his eyes hardening again. “I know princes. Leave.”

“Because you are one?”

Youngjae went silent, his back stiff.

“I'll come back,” Daehyun warned. “I want to save you.”

“Save yourself,” Youngjae said. “You’re lucky I don’t ask Yongguk to eat you for me.”

Despite his preparations to battle Yongguk, his face paled with the threat. “You wouldn’t dare. It could start a war.”

“An unjust one. You came in our territory, looking for a battle. I’ve asked you politely; if you don’t leave now, you won’t like what happens.”

“Youngjae?”

Daehyun looked all over at the new sound, placing a hand against the wall when it shook the ground around him. His eyes widened, and he instinctively drew his free hand to protect himself.

A 'deep voice such that of a groaning mountain,' indeed.

Daehyun turned until he realized he couldn’t locate the voice, looking back at Youngjae, helpless. He stared past Daehyun.

Should he run? Panic seeped through Daehyun’s blood, adrenaline icing to the floor. He trembled, wanting to convince his limbs to move. Before he could, Youngjae spoke. “Oh – Yongguk? I didn’t realize you were in.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, his smile sheepish.

"What am I eating?” It sounded wrong to hear such a gravitational voice speak with a clear rumble of amusement hidden deep in his tone.

“Oh – there’s a prince here.” Youngjae managed to fit a lot of contempt in only a few words and finished it with a dramatic eye roll. Daehyun pouted. Yongguk couldn’t even see him. “I’m getting rid of him. Sorry for bothering you.”

“He wants to fight me?” The mild amusement and the awful echo of the voice continued. A cat, toying with its prey. Daehyun's mind went all hazy but clear and slow but fast, until he didn’t know what to make of anything anymore.

Youngjae’s eyes slid over to him, and he pulled his wits together to pale and shake his head. No, no he didn’t want to fight the King of the Dragons. Not at all. No dragon-fights today.

“Oh, oh yeah, he does,” Youngjae said, a slow smile curling onto his lips. He looked positively conniving, and Daehyun shook his head even harder, pain shooting through his neck. “Feel like turning anyone into ash today?”

Yongguk chuckled, and Daehyun had to hold back a whimper. He called it commendable that he managed to only shiver. “Why’s he inside?”

“Thinks I’m delusional and snuck in.” Youngjae glowered at him.

“Well, let him in. Give him what he wants.”

Daehyun took a step away, ready to turn and run for the door, but Youngjae blocked him. “Oh no,” he said, his voice lowered for only Daehyun to hear. “You started this, better commit now.”

“Youngjae – please, he’ll kill me!” With his choices narrowed to Youngjae or the King of the Dragons, Daehyun had a better chance of forcing his way past Youngjae.

“Are you enough of a coward to run away, prince?” Youngjae smirked.

Normally, he’d demand recognition of his bravery and rise to the taunt, but dragons changed everything. “Uh, yeah, I’d really rather run away.” 

Youngjae blinked at him, nonplussed. He hardened again. “No. You’re coming with me. I won’t deal with you coming back here again.”

Clenching his eyes shut, he reached for the new sword at his hip. Youngjae was unarmed, but dammit – as stupid as it was, he couldn’t find it in himself to attack him.

Youngjae rested a hand on his shoulder and herded him towards the voice as though he approached the gallows. Daehyun could hear the beast’s breathing. He trembled under Youngjae’s hand and tried to catch his eye, but he stared straight ahead.

They turned to another branch off the main hallway, and Daehyun froze, his eyes widening and his spine locking. Large, golden eyes stared out from the darkness, and the room itself was considerably warmer than anywhere else.

The faint smell of smoke permeated from the room.

Daehyun couldn’t take his eyes off the warm yellow irises, both afraid and relieved he couldn’t see the rest of the dragon in the darkness. He’d never seen a beast so amazing before, and the eyes were deep and intelligent. Daehyun whimpered.

“Won’t you draw your sword, prince?” Yongguk’s voice seemed to come from everywhere, bouncing off the walls so the sound struck him from all angles. Daehyun raised his hands in front of his face, trembling. Youngjae whispered a spell – Daehyun hadn’t realized he could use his own magic – and a series of candles lit in the room.

Yongguk stood well-below his full height, his body coiled as he relaxed. His position did nothing to take away from his magnificence. Blue and green scales covered his body, all except his beige stomach. Each scale had a heart shape to it, and each swirled with a unique pattern of color. 

His wings were folded, but even in that position, Daehyun could see their size and strength. He couldn’t imagine them outstretched. The skin between each long digit looked thick and like canvas, all muddy green and brown.

Daehyun noticed his open mouth and snapped it shut, shaking his head. “I don’t--this--this was a mistake.”

Youngjae scoffed. “So now you’re speechless.”

Fuck his honor. He needed to get out of there. “I – I apologize. I – I’ll go.”

“You’ve wasted my librarian’s time and broke into my home,” Yongguk said. “I’ve killed humans for less.” He titled his great jade head to the side, forked tongue emerging from his huge mouth and gold eyes narrowing.

“No, please! I--I feared Youngjae was under a spell. I wanted to release him from it!” The explanations jumped from Daehyun’s lip before he decided whether they would help or hurt him. He swallowed hard as Yongguk shifted, scales clinking together. Daehyun’s head tilted further and further up as Yongguk stood and reached a claw out towards him.

The single nail was nearly the size of a dagger, and Daehyun staggered away from it. Youngjae blocked the entrance behind him, and Daehyun didn’t dare try to attack him and force him out of the way.

“Did you think I'm so low as to keep him without free will?”

Well – he was a dragon. “Dragons kidnap princesses against their wishes all the time!” Arguing with Yongguk was high up on the list of things Daehyun shouldn’t be doing right now, and it only proved he didn’t have much sense.

“It’s so obvious you know nothing.” Daehyun feared to look away from Yongguk, but he spared a glance at Youngjae as he spoke. “Why d'you come here? You expected a princess the first time and were wrong, so why now?”

“I--uh-–” Why had he been so set on coming back? Daehyun’s reasoning didn’t seem so clear anymore. He gaped like a fish, opening and closing his mouth a couple times. “My--my honor-–”

“Shove it,” Youngjae said, crossing his arms and leaning against the rock. “That can’t be all of it, or you would’ve taken me up when I offered to send you elsewhere. Same with just getting married.”

“I wanted it to be you, not anyone else.”

Youngjae didn’t like that answer any better, his eyes cold and mouth set in a hard line. “Why? Because you think a prince shouldn’t be here? You think I’m weak?”

“No, you’re--you're interesting, and you're--beautiful.” The words fell from his lips before he planned them out, and he bit his tongue as they hung in the air. Daehyun had filled his head with thoughts of honor and saving Youngjae and – well, his words fit perfectly, but Daehyun hadn’t prepared for them.

Youngjae stood up straight, clenching his fists and staring Daehyun dead in the eye. Daehyun got the feeling he was lucky he didn’t have his dagger on him. “So what? You come here once and when I don’t grovel at your feet, you think I’m under a spell? Because why else would someone deny you anything?”

“No!” Daehyun’s face reddened. “No--I just--I was worried, and you are--you’re different than anyone else I have ever known.”

“You want to change me.”

“I want to understand you,” Daehyun tried. It wasn’t a lie. Youngjae had given up everything and now used magic and read books and lived with a dragon. He couldn’t fathom the life he led.

Not to mention, they hadn’t exactly proved Youngjae wasn’t under a spell.

Youngjae still didn’t seem impressed. “Funny way you’ve gone about doing that.”

Daehyun wasn’t going to make it far with him, it seemed. He glanced around, sweat dripping down his face from the dragon’s warmth. “If you want me to leave, I will.” He continued speaking when a self-satisfied smile spread over Youngjae’s face, scared he would order Daehyun to go. “But--don’t you get lonely here? You should have human friends too.”

“I’m never lonely. Got all I need right here.” Youngjae’s face had frozen, hard as stone, but his eyes betrayed him, flashing to the left.

Daehyun had spent years learning how to read between people’s words, to tell what people really meant as they spoke to him, hidden under overly respectful phrases. It took a better liar to fool him. He stared at Youngjae, hoping he’d crack and admit the truth, but he didn’t falter.

“Youngjae.” By the stars, somehow Daehyun had nearly forgotten Yongguk’s presence. His voice caused the rumble of a small earthquake, and Daehyun bit his lip as he watched those golden eyes once again. “Prince, why should we even let you leave? You broke into my home.”

Oh right. The stakes weren’t whether Daehyun would succeed in rescuing Youngjae or not; they were whether Yongguk--or Youngjae--would murder him. “I –” Daehyun forced himself to stop, taking a deep breath and considering his words before they left his mouth. “I’m sorry. My actions were--inappropriate, at best.” 

_“Inappropriate,”_ Youngjae echoed. He scoffed. Yongguk’s eyes remained on Daehyun, waiting for more.

He didn’t have much more to offer, and he figured excuses would only make his situation worse. Daehyun took the new dragon-killing (hah, okay, maybe he’d been a little overconfident) sword from his sheath, placing it on the ground by his feet. “I’m no danger to you or Youngjae.”

Yongguk shifted his eyes to stare at Youngjae, but Daehyun didn’t dare attempt to interpret what it meant.

“Let him stay the night. He won’t survive out there.” Yongguk’s eyes remained on Youngjae, but Daehyun was perfectly fine with not being the sole focus of his attention. In fact, he quite preferred it that way.

Youngjae grumbled and pushed himself off the wall. “And we care about that?” Yongguk didn’t even need to answer before he turned and motioned Daehyun back with him. “C’mon.”

Daehyun’s shoulders tensed with hope. He’d had big dreams for this visit and didn’t achieve them, but he also didn’t die, so Daehyun called it a win.

“Thank you!” Daehyun bowed to Yongguk, whose lips curled up into something almost like a smile, except for the huge quantity of sharp teeth and long, reptilian tongue. Fearing being left alone with him, he rushed out.

“Prince.” Daehyun stopped in his tracks, lurching as he considered running now that it seemed Yongguk changed his mind. “Take your sword. You’re no danger to us, armed or not.”

Maybe he should’ve felt miffed by that--he actually _was_ a formidable fighter, but Daehyun’s relief overwhelmed all else. He returned and grabbed the sword, saying a final thank you and heading down the hallway.

Youngjae waited for him but said nothing as they started walking. 

When they neared the library, he spun on Daehyun, staring with clenched fists and mouth set into a grim line. “You’re lucky. You’re fucking lucky. I don’t know what he saw in you, but I hope you get it through even your thick skull that that doesn’t often happen.”

Daehyun nodded, all wide eyes and uncertainty. “I know,” he said. “It was stupid, and I apologize for coming back.”

“You’re just parroting that,” Youngjae said, shaking his head. He crossed his arms again, raising his eyes as though asking for strength. “Understand this--I don’t like you, and I think you deserve getting eaten by a rock hydra.”

Somehow with the King of the Mountain Dragon’s order to protect him, if only for the night, Youngjae’s threats seemed much less serious. Daehyun’s lips quirked up into a small smile, refusing to act cowed by Youngjae. “Do you normally treat visitors in such a way?”

“No, but you’re a criminal so what did you expect?”

Daehyun’s face lit red as Youngjae outlined his actions. He considered blustering his way through an explanation, but Youngjae turned away. Daehyun gave up.

Youngjae looked back but only maintained the silence. He glanced around, a light frown on his face. Daehyun inched towards the library, and Youngjae hesitated before following him inside.

He took a long look at the copious amount of books stacked everywhere and whistled at the sheer number of shelves. “No wonder you care for these books. Do you enjoy it?”

“Yes.”

Daehyun suppressed a grin as Youngjae answered. Sure, it was only a word, and a short one at that, but it was more than he’d gotten before. “What else do you do?”

“None of your business.”

“Fair enough.”

Youngjae looked surprised by his answer, eyebrows coming together. “What possessed you to come here?” he asked, the question abrupt but repetitive. It was the first time he’d shown any interest in Daehyun. “You know nothing of dragons, and the walk must’ve been hell. So, why?”

Daehyun tilted his head to the side as he considered the answer. He wished for something more meaningful than the truth. “Prince Himchan is a close friend of mine. He told me of your--uh--well, what he knew of your situation. I couldn’t refuse.”

Youngjae rolled his eyes. “Some friend. He lied to you.” At Daehyun’s wide-eyed shock, he shrugged. “He knows damn well who I am, and he got pissed when I refused to come with him.”

“He--he knew?”

Youngjae scowled. “This sounds like him.” Youngjae shook his head and groaned, pressing his palms against his eyes. “He’d send someone who wouldn’t spread my name everywhere, but who’s also stupid.”

Daehyun didn’t put much effort into being offended, preferring to watch as Youngjae moved and sat on the armchair. He rested his face in his hands, and Daehyun frowned, wishing he could comfort him. “I doubt he means you any bad will.”

The wrong thing to say. Youngjae glared at him. “I’ve never been so happy in my life, and he wants to ruin it.

“He doesn’t understand. He wants what’s best for you--he just doesn’t know how to go about doing that.”

Youngjae's shoulders hunched forward, his eyes more tired than angry. “Stop acting like you know anything about this.”

“I know Himchan,” Daehyun said. “And I know what I thought when I found about you.” It made more sense than he cared to admit that Himchan sent him on this mission for Youngjae and not some nameless princess.

He’d acted oddly interested ever since the start. Daehyun didn’t know how furious he should feel that Himchan had looked for someone he could trust and lie to and chose him for it. Good thing he had an entire journey to decide. For now, he could focus on Youngjae.

“I’ve told him the truth. This made things better for me.”

Daehyun wet his lips and took a chance, sitting on the little bit of chair left next to Youngjae. The only reaction from Youngjae was to slide a little further away to give Daehyun more space. “It seems like you gave up a lot to cook and clean for a dragon.”

“Of course it seems like that to you.” He glowered at Daehyun. “You like being a prince.”

“But not you. Why?”

The first time he’d asked questions, Youngjae hadn’t bothered to answer. The second time, he’d given him a single word. Now, he answered truthfully. “It seemed I spent every day learning what I was supposed to be and not who I am.”

Daehyun still didn’t understand. He feared asking for clarification, but something told him it would be worse to guess. “Like--like princely duties and such?”

Youngjae looked at him sideways, still directing his body towards the shelves of books. “It was all ‘how to present yourself during battle’ and ‘I forbid you to spend more time in the library.’”

“You're a good swordsman.” A little too good. Daehyun recalled the blade at his throat all too well. “I understand the books but-–?”

“It wasn’t that. It was, it was the lack of control I had. Here, Yongguk and I are more friends than anything else.”

“But you get lonely.”

Youngjae scowled. “I don’t know where you keep getting that from, but you’re wrong.”

Daehyun still disagreed with that, but he dropped it for the time being, at least. “What are you reading?” He nodded at the book Youngjae had left on the side table. The tassel of a bookmark stuck out from the side, and the cover was worn, cracked leather. It didn’t hint at the contents of the book.

“Why do you care?” Despite his sharp words, Youngjae followed Daehyun’s gaze to the book.

Daehyun shrugged. “Call it curiosity.”

“You still want to make me leave.”

He shook his head. “No, I-- I know it’s not a spell, but I’ve just never met someone who lives with dragons.” Daehyun bit his lip, unsure how Youngjae would take his answer.

“Clearly.”

“I was wrong,” he said. “But perhaps we can still talk?”

Youngjae’s eyes narrowed. “You still think you’re in the right.”

Daehyun stopped and blinked, tilting his head down as he thought. Did he? Not really. His past thoughts--Daehyun thought of Youngjae draped across the same chair he now sat on and blushed--seemed entitled and stupid now. 

And yet, his drive to understand Youngjae had only greatened. Youngjae cast spells and used a magic sword and lived with dragons. His life sounded so _cool_ that Daehyun only wanted to remain in it. 

“I really don’t,” he said, his voice soft. “But you don’t have to tell me much. Just, what are you reading?” He nodded at the book.

”I--it’s a novel,” he said. Youngjae’s eyes softened as he touched the book, brushing his fingers over its cover. A pleased smile lit up his face, emphasizing his cheeks and creasing the skin near his eyes.

He blinked a couple times, the expression falling as he turned his gaze back to Daehyun. The suspicion remained, but Daehyun didn’t mind it as much when Youngjae was willing to speak with him. “It’s about a family during the first war for the Enchanted Forest.”

“Do you like it?”

Youngjae nodded before he seemed to catch himself, frowning. He shook his head. “I know you don’t care about this. Stop thinking I’ll just straight up tell you everything if you’re nice to me. I’m not about to forget you came here to kidnap me.”

“You choose what to say,” Daehyun said. He shrugged. “It’s all up to you; we’re on your ground here.”

Youngjae tilted his head to the side, one eyebrow rising at Daehyun’s words. “It’s not like a prince to admit that.”

“It’s stranger for a prince to live with a dragon.”

“Not a prince,” Youngjae corrected, but his voice didn’t have the irritation in it anymore, only a soft chiding. He bit his lip, pausing like he wanted to say something else.

Daehyun waited, but Youngjae said nothing. Finally, he couldn’t bear the silence any longer. “How big is the library here?”

A good choice of a question. Youngjae’s face lit up, despite his best attempts to conceal it. Daehyun couldn’t help but smile. It must’ve been a long time since Youngjae got the chance to show a person the library.

If he were honest, Daehyun hadn’t even picked up a book in a long time, but Youngjae’s excitement ignited something within him.

Maybe he just wanted to see him smile like that again.

“Want me to show you?” Youngjae turned curiously shy, not meeting Daehyun’s gaze and fidgeting.

“Definitely.” 

A big smile overturned Youngjae’s lips, and he hopped to his feet. Daehyun trailed after him, grinning as Youngjae’s palpable excitement raised his spirits even higher. “I haven’t organized most of it. This is the King’s library, so I’ve only had since we moved in to work on it.”

Daehyun’s jaw dropped as he realized the extent of the shelves. They stretched further into the darkness than he’d ever imagined, lined so they reached up to a dragon’s shoulder. He had to tilt his head and peer into the darkness to see the tops of the shelves, and even then, he couldn’t tell if it was the very top or not.

“It--this is amazing.” Daehyun’s words came out whispered, and full of awe. “Wow.”

Youngjae nodded, flashing Daehyun an understanding look. “Still think dragons are stupid beasts?”

Daehyun flushed, unable to meet Youngjae’s eyes. “In my defense, Himchan knew I knew nothing and still sent me.”

“Banking on me being kind.”

“And yet you would have let me die.”

Youngjae chuckled. “Not really. Dragons rarely kill visitors. Haven’t for a long time, not since the last war.” This voice dropped as he finished the sentence, and he stole a nervous glance at Daehyun, but Daehyun didn’t linger on the meaning of it.

Instead, his mouth dropped open. “You lied?” he exclaimed, relieved giggles breaking through his offense. “I was so scared!”

“Be careful,” Youngjae warned, but he lacked the harshness of his past threats. “I would’ve sent you outside to the rock hydras. I’m very tired of princes.”

“Really? Here I thought I managed to charm you.” Daehyun pouted at him, and at Youngjae’s stoicism, furrowed his brow, worried he hadn’t picked up on the joke.

Before he could clarify, a smile broke through Youngjae’s façade. “As though someone like you ever could.” 

Daehyun grinned at him. “You must need your eyes checked, for I am-–”

Youngjae whirled around and raised a hand as though to slap him. Daehyun froze, flinching, and Youngjae's smile dropped. Hoping to save the moment, Daehyun grinned and raised a hand--slowly, with more than enough time for Youngjae to react--to reciprocate the hit. 

"Hey!" Youngjae jumped away, looking so offended that Daehyun had to laugh. His eyes crinkled into crescents, and Youngjae seemed unable to keep his faux-angry glare frozen on his face for too long, breaking into a smile.

“None of that,” Youngjae said, chiding him. He tsked a couple times, shaking his head. “You’re lucky I’m even willing to speak with you.”

Daehyun frowned. “I don’t know if you can stop me from calling you a friend after this.”

Youngjae rolled his eyes. “You have low standards for friendship.”

“Maybe, but I’m also going to send you letters after I leave, so then we'll actually be friends.”

“Oh really? And why is that?” Youngjae looked honestly surprised, despite how he hid it. Not lonely. Hah, right. Just like Daehyun totally had the skills to defeat a dragon.

Daehyun dropped his eyes, not wanting Youngjae to see how his face heated up. “You’re very interesting, and I want to get to know you. Maybe eventually you'll also call me a friend?”

“We’ll see about that.” But Youngjae smiled at him, and that was good enough as a confirmation.


	2. In Which a Year Passes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How had one man changed everything?
> 
> Daehyun wished life was simple again.
> 
> He wished he regretted meeting Youngjae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the change from gen to m/m

_Dearest Youngjae,_

_As promised, I hope my letter reaches you in good health. I have arrived back home safely. On my way here, I spoke with Prince Himchan. He took my sword from me and told me I am a shameless idiot. I fear he may cause you more grievances._

_I don’t have much news, other than to introduce you to Columbiform, the pigeon who bears this letter. You can’t find a better bird anywhere, and I trust she is capable of traveling such a distance to you. Please give her seeds and rest upon her arrival; she accepts most any, though her favorites are millet and sunflower._

_I await your response._

_Prince Daehyun of Amaurot_

 

 

Somehow, boredom changes time. Daehyun’s days stretched, full of meetings and dinners. He donned a mask by day and almost forgot to shrug it off at night. Part of him hated it; the work exhausted him, and he had little time for anything else. The rest of him knew they all had their jobs.

He was a diplomat and a prince; he had a role to fill, but that didn’t stop Daehyun from watching the sky. By night, it left him able to find comfort through the stars –- beings of truth must approve of his actions, right? Sure, his many faces weren’t the most truthful, but they kept the kingdom running smoothly and peacefully.

During the day, he watched for Columbiform. 

It took her three weeks to return. Despite his watchfulness, he didn’t notice her until mid-afternoon and didn’t have time to read her letter until the evening.

He sat with his back against a tree trunk, perched on a small rock near the river. The wind pulled a shiver out of him, and he adjusted his wool overcoat into more of a blanket. Daehyun didn’t try to hide his smile, despite how the weight of Youngjae’s letter suggested it wasn’t long.

He tried to curb his hope. It could, after all, be a note telling him not to send anything else. His fingers were both clumsy from the cold and hasty as he untied the twine holding it together.

Youngjae hadn’t bothered to use script, not like Daehyun had, at least. The sign near Yongguk’s cave and its stark, black letters popped into his mind. Daehyun snorted. Lips curled into a gentle smile, he started reading.

_Daehyun,_

_You didn’t lie about your bird’s abilities. She got here quicker than I would've expected. I gave her a few days rest before sending her back with this._

_I’m happy to hear you're safe. My life is still the same: I work mostly in the storage area and the library. The Kings have gathered gifts and offerings for millennia, and the tradition of not keeping humans means it's messy as hell._

_I’m afraid I don’t know what else to put in a letter like this. I hope Columbiform doesn’t mind making a long journey for such a small note._

_Youngjae_

A short letter, indeed, but Daehyun’s smile still filled his entire face. He trailed his fingers over the words, his heart beating hard. With a short, sharp laugh, he shook his head at his stupidity. There was no reason for his heart to beat like he’d gotten trapped in the mud of the floodplain.

Daehyun stared out into the water, his eyes glossing over. The ground around him still had small puddles on the surface, where the saturated soil could absorb no more.

A couple weeks ago, the entire area had been underwater, but as the fall progressed, the water receded back to the riverbed. It wouldn’t rise to his location until the rains began anew and the trees started to spread their leaves.

Daehyun started writing his response then and there. As the sun dipped below the hills behind him, he gave himself ten or so minutes.

_Dearest Youngjae,_

_What is the most interesting thing you've found in the storage rooms? What books are you reading? You live a more interesting life than I, rummaging through dragons’ treasure! I spend most of my time as an ambassador between my kingdom and others. Despite being the youngest son, I seem to possess the most charm, as you certainly know._

_I also don’t know what to say, so I’ll describe my kingdom, assuming you’ve never seen it. The weather changes here, becoming colder and drier as the rains end. Soon, the trees will drop their leaves. I look forward to it; time moves more slowly during the dry season._

_We border a river, and the flooding determines much of our life here._

Daehyun squinted at the paper. It had already been hard to read when he started writing, but the sun had fully disappeared now. With a groan, he dragged himself to his feet and put his coat on. Casting a final look back over the river, he returned to his horse and to his rather boring castle.

He’d finish Youngjae’s letter there. No rush, after all, because Columbiform needed to rest. The soonest he could send the letter was a week’s time away. 

It seemed longer than that.

 

 

_Daehyun,_

_No need to apologize for rambling; I appreciate it, really. My only human friend here was recently rescued, and the other princesses refuse to spend much time with me. It’s normal for them to think I’m strange, but I find myself wallowing a little too much these days._

_To answer your questions, I’m reading a book about the use of Latin in dragon spells. I hope to eventually learn enough to do more magic. Lighting candles is about the extent of my skills now._

_I found a spell to test for nearby magic, something which would prove invaluable when I clean the storage rooms. What gets buried there would amaze you. I’m no longer surprised to find jewels clearly cut for kings. A while ago, I found a magic sword strong enough I could sense it._

_There’s an inscription, but neither Yongguk or me recognizes the language. It's given me a lot to research._

_You’re right that I’ve never been to Amaurot, and it’s nice to learn about your home. The place I grew up at has a lot of water, though no cyclical flooding. It’s almost entirely flat. The first time I climbed Yongguk’s mountain, I thought I’d die before reaching the top._

_The cold never hits us hard here, despite the elevation. Dragons are warm creatures by nature, and the heat of so many keeps the weather warm and dry all year. It’s good for me; I hate the cold. Do you? I suppose not, considering you look forward to it._

_My favorite place here is a large boulder not far from Yongguk’s cave. It took me forever to figure out a way onto it. To get up, I climb the tree beside it, then shimmy my way across -– well, it’s easier now because I tied a rope onto it._

_It has the best view of the valley, but I like watching the stars even more. They’re so clear; I swear it looks like they light up the entire sky, leaving this swirling whiteness. It's more likely my eyes are playing tricks on me, but I love it all the same._

_Despite the warm weather, the days grow shorter. I almost prefer the night, strange as it sounds. Few creatures dare to approach dragons’ caves, so I rarely hear much but the nighttime toads and crickets. Sometimes I wander towards a nearby pool and watch them. They’re quite interesting, once you stop and look._

_Dragons are oddly similar to toads, if you think about it. Yongguk would be really offended if I ever told him that, but I stand by it…_

Daehyun’s smile grew as he finished Youngjae’s letter. As he’d continued on, his stories had grown less stiff and more, well, what Daehyun would’ve expected from the person who’d thrown him to the ground and threatened to have him eaten by a dragon.

His fingers twitched towards his own supply of paper, held under a polished rock on his desk, but he needed to go to dinner soon. Daehyun had to meet with King Hangeng’s advisors tonight. 

He groaned at the reminder. Dinner meant a couple hours of rigid conversation and pushing the advisors into a corner so they would speak openly about revising their trade agreements.

Sure enough, as he tied a piece of twine around Youngjae’s letters, placing the precious bundle in a small drawer in his red-tinged rosewood desk, someone knocked on the door to summon him. Straightening his crown, he scrubbed a hand over his face to gather himself and realized he should’ve shaved that morning.

Too late now. He practiced a good smile in the mirror, caught sight of Youngjae’s letters in his peripheral vision, and left the room with a real one.

 

 

“Hey, Jongup?”

He hummed in response, not raising his eyes from an old book that looked as though it had deserved to fall apart a decade ago.

“What would you say if I ran away and lived with dragons?”

From Daehyun’s position on a countertop, he could peer down at Jongup, who leaned over his spell book. He had decided years ago that Jongup’s eyebrows had a life of their own. Today only added evidence, considering Jongup still didn’t raise his eyes, but his eyebrows shot up clear into his forehead.

“It’s a little late for a rebellious phase, don’t you think?” Jongup finally said. “And why dragons?”

Daehyun scowled. “This is hypothetical. I’m not going to actually do it.”

“I think you’d come back soon enough. Rose’s sweet, but she burned my eyebrows off last week because she didn’t want medicine after eating a poisonous frog.” Jongup finally looked up to glare at the small, lap-sized forest flier currently using the only chair in the room.

Despite her name, her scales were a pure, deep green, brighter than Yongguk’s. She had flopped onto the cushion, curled up with her wings slightly spread.

Daehyun rolled his eyes. Jongup knew exactly what he meant; while Rose was a forest flier, she bore little to no resemblance to true dragons.

Few people even tried to group the species together; Jongup did, but Jongup also talked to Rose like she answered him on a regular basis.

Infuriatingly, he waited for Daehyun to say he meant the Mountain Dragons before he spoke again.

“Oh, easy answer: they'd eat you as soon as you tried.” He had the audacity to look up as he said it, wide-eyed, innocent, and smiling. As he leaned against a counter, Rose shifted and drew his eyes. His false virtue softened into something tender, and he rubbed two fingers at the base of her wings. She didn’t stir.

Jongup almost always attempted to displace Rose from her chair whenever he had a guest, but as usual, when Daehyun arrived, he had prodded her, watched her yawn and settle back down to sleep, and informed Daehyun he would have to sit somewhere else.

Daehyun hadn’t rebuked him, only hopping onto the usual counter. He’d grown used to Jongup’s stranger characteristics years ago.

Groaning and leaning back, he stared at the cracked, water-stained ceiling. The small house had good ventilation, but that was about all it had going for it. There were few lights, and Jongup’s constant squinting as he worked had gone from annoyingly unnecessary to somewhat endearing over the years.

“Are you going to start talking about what you’ve wanted to this entire time?” Jongup had dropped his eyes back to his book.

This was the problem with having friends outside the castle. Jongup, like, actually knew him well enough to see past his bullshit. And he was stupidly no-nonsense, so he wouldn’t let Daehyun make random not-conversation to delay his words.

“I don’t know.” Youngjae’s situation required subtlety, which he certainly trusted Jongup to possess -- who would he even tell, considering he lived in a smelly house in the middle of a swamp? -- but Youngjae’s name caught in his throat. “Do you mind me being vague?”

Jongup’s eyebrows rose up once again, but he nodded, and so Daehyun shoved on forward.

“There’s this guy I met,” he said. “When I was traveling, and he lives with the Mountain Dragon’s king.”

Daehyun thought that deserved a shocked exclamation, but Jongup’s eyes only widened, his frown deepening. Typical.

“He’s a prince. And I went there to rescue a princess but then he was there, and he wanted to be there, and, and I don’t know.” Daehyun made a face at his inability to speak coherently. Some diplomat he was.

Jongup closed the spell book and hopped onto the counter across from Daehyun. He said nothing, but his eyes held a clear question. Daehyun disliked it. Usually it felt good when Jongup actually cared about him enough to listen, but usually the things he told Jongup weren’t like this.

Everything had jumbled into a mess in his head. “I guess I never realized that a prince could do that.” Daehyun’s shoulders stiffened as he dared to say the words. Somehow, he hadn’t even realized what this was about. “He lives a better life than me,” he mumbled, dropping his head with shame.

He stole a glance at Jongup. The wrinkles in his face had smoothened. One hand messed with his silver hair, shoving it from his eyes. “What does his kingdom think?” Jongup’s voice was measured, his thoughts hidden.

Daehyun’s throat dried up and tightened. What if Jongup condemned him, if he called him disloyal? Daehyun had given his entire life to Amaurot, but what if all it took to throw that away was the mere thought of betraying them?

What if, what if, what if. Daehyun drowned in hypotheticals.

“I don’t think they know,” Daehyun said, dragging himself out of his head. “Well, some of them, at least. Someone sent me to save him.” He scoffed. “I was so stupid.” Somehow it seemed important to repeat that aloud, as though he hadn’t done it numerous times in his head. “I really thought I was going to die.”

Daehyun swung his feet through the air, trying to distract himself. He miscalculated and banged a foot against the counter, causing something inside to overbalance and crash. Cringing, he looked at Jongup, who sighed. His acceptance of Daehyun’s idiocy made it sting worse.

Jongup frowned. Daehyun hoped he hadn’t managed to read him well enough to recognize his thoughts, despite Jongup’s uncanny ability at that. To mask the mess in his head, Daehyun grinned, let out a calculated, careless, “whoops, sorry,” and started swinging his legs again.

“Let’s go outside,” Jongup suggested. Daehyun squashed his guilt, but his smile stung his cheeks by the time Jongup opened the door.

Mushrooms grew up the house, and a couple polyphors dropped from the door as Daehyun blinked in the dappled sunlight. Jongup took no notice of the falling fungus. The ground outside squished under their feet, and cattails grew in scattered patches.

Daehyun rested a hand against a nearby tree, its bark smooth and light-colored. A beech. Jongup used them for a bunch of spells.

The nearby trees were all young, their trunks only a foot or two in diameter. They never lived long enough to become giants; Jongup lived in an area particularly prone to flooding, and even the trees tended to lose their battles with erosion and the incessant river water.

Daehyun didn’t quite know how Jongup’s house managed to win each battle it faced, but whenever the flooding began, Jongup disappeared, and his house stood strong and slightly lop-sided through it.

“My family’s hiding something from Hana and I.” The words hung around him, harsh amid the gently swaying reeds. “Soojung’s been visiting another kingdom since before I even left, and now my parents are talking about marriage. Something’s happening, and I hate that I don’t know.”

Daehyun wished he knew his eldest sister better, past the faces they put on in public. As heir to the throne, she managed to wear a mask even around her family. He hardly could recall Soojung as anything other than the adult she’d been groomed into; the decade she had on him left her a teenager in even his earliest memories.

“Have you asked?”

Daehyun shook his head, watching as Jongup crouched by one of the pools. He tilted his head at a large green frog that didn’t even spare Jongup a glance. It made a sound like a plucked banjo string, and Jongup mimicked it with startling accuracy. The frog surveyed him with huge, protruding eyes.

“I’ve been afraid to.” Daehyun hated how Jongup didn’t even need to do anything to get him to admit everything. “Especially now. Before I met -- well, before -- I wouldn’t have cared as much. But now… Is it wrong for me to want more control?” His throat tightened, and the last couple words came out choked.

Daehyun forced out a bitter laugh at his own expense. Jongup turned to squint at him, the sun bright on his face. “Your friend gave up a lot. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

“I’m not willing to do that,” Daehyun agreed. “I don’t want to run away or anything like that. But it seems shallow, doesn’t it? What I do?” Daehyun hadn’t thought at all about this, but it had been the only thing on his mind.

Ugh. Daehyun looked down at his feet, grimacing. Water had soaked straight through his shoes, but that was nothing new. Nothing was fully waterproof, not on soggy Amaurot swampground.

Jongup straightened, wiping his muddy fingertips on his pants. “You know my opinions on it all.”

Daehyun did. He’d tried to convince Jongup to move into the castle each rainy season, hating to see his friend grow more and more stressed as he prepared for the rains. Finally, Jongup had shut him up by telling him he’d rather drown than live within the palace.

Daehyun had been so offended he’d stormed off and hadn’t visited again until the rains ended and the floodwater receded. Now he still didn’t agree -- he couldn’t, that was his home and his family -- but he understood better.

“It was really nice to not deal with all this while I was away.”

Jongup chuckled. “It’s like that, isn’t it?”

They lapsed into silence, and Daehyun watched Jongup check on several different plants. Some he recognized: Loosestrife, which Jongup frowned at, plucking the head off the pinky-purple flowers, and Skunk Cabbage, which Jongup pulled a leaf off of and tasted.

He grimaced as he ate the foul-smelling leaf, screwing his face up.

Daehyun dealt with the silence for as long as he could, fidgeting despite himself. Finally, he could bear it no longer. “Do you mind if I keep talking?” Jongup waved him on with a careless hand. “He’s friends with the _King of the Mountain Dragons.”_ Daehyun emphasized his words with a huge gesture. “Even dropped his title to make things easier for him there.”

Jongup watched him, his head tilted slightly to the side. For the first time since they’d gotten outside, Daehyun had Jongup’s full attention. It was fleeting, however, and he returned it to the plants soon enough, only humming in response.

“He can even use simple magic.” Daehyun shook his head. “I don’t get how he does it.”

“Living with dragons, you mean?” Jongup’s voice, as per usual, was focused despite his absent-minded fiddling. By the stars, Daehyun appreciated him.

“Everything. How did he get there, you know? What made him look at his life and decide to go off on his own? He gave up everything.”

Jongup didn’t respond, already looking through his garden. Daehyun’s heart sank at his silence. He took a shuddering breath. Right. These were dumb questions, and Daehyun needed to stop thinking about them all.

“Why don’t you ask him that?” Jongup’s voice tore Daehyun from his thoughts. He blinked his eyes back into focus, staring at Jongup, who didn’t seem to notice the tension in his shoulders.

“That’s so personal,” Daehyun protested. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. “He wouldn’t tell me.”

“He must trust you. It’s not common for a human to befriend dragons. He could get the wrong sort of attention all too easily.”

Daehyun frowned. Youngjae didn’t trust him, not really. He only liked talking with Daehyun because he had precious few other people to speak with. But Jongup was right on one account: Youngjae had so much to lose if his secret escaped.

Daehyun vowed he’d never cause such a situation, no matter what.

“Hey.” Jongup snapped his fingers in front of Daehyun’s face, making him flinch and grimace. “Don’t zone out on me now. You know I’m right.”

“You don’t even know -- him.” Already Daehyun had nearly slipped and said Youngjae’s name. He pressed his lips together to keep silent.

Daehyun recalled Youngjae’s words. _You’re fucking lucky._ It really hadn’t been Youngjae’s choice to let him live. Yongguk had decided for him. _I don’t know what he saw in you._

The words burned him. He was pretty sure he didn’t deserve the praise and knew even less what to do with it.

“Jongup, what if I fuck this up?”

The crude words didn’t fit right in his mouth. He didn’t know how they came out without him choking on them.

Jongup didn’t react to his language. “You won’t,” he said. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

 

 

It only took one look at Hana's gray face, pale and sickly with worry, rather than her normal tan skin, to make Daehyun push down his own thoughts and help her instead. Soojung had all but promised her to a prince of an unknown kingdom. Daehyun wished she'd just tell them who he was. 

Small flickers of relief that he wasn't the one getting married warred with the worry embedded under his skin.

He promised to travel with Hana when she went to meet him. It would’ve been him anyway, unless they planned to send Soojung again, but he refused to let her go alone.

Daehyun expressed his worry to Youngjae, and then expressed more worry over how all his worrying was causing him wrinkles. Jongup would’ve seen through the last part and realized he was trying to play off his fear, but hopefully Youngjae would roll with the joke.

Despite everything, Daehyun didn’t want to think about it too hard, and so he finished the letter off by asking Youngjae to tell him more about dragons. 

_(The weather has turned so cold… I need warm stories of dragon fire.)_

He tried to not think of it as manipulative; it’s not like he planned to do anything bad with the information.

Daehyun just wanted something to make sense.

He started researching the dragons, but all he found were reports written by Linderwall, and well, Daehyun refused to trust the words of the dragon’s enemies. Even in Amaurot, the bloody, decades-long war between Linderwall and the Mountain Dragons was common knowledge.

 

 

_Daehyun,_

_I have a story for you. I found a bottle in the storage room and uncapped it before I read the label -- reckless, I know! A genie came from it and spent a long time trying to trick me. I barely escaped, truth be told, but I'm proud I didn't fall for his ruses._

_He offered me anything I wanted, and it took strength to refuse him. I never imagined something could affect me like that; his pull was so strong, I could barely think of anything but the picture he painted of my future._

_It’s funny, what a monster recognizes as what you long for. If I had guessed what a genie would call my greatest wishes, I would've been dead wrong. It puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? But regardless, I’m here and not trapped in a bottle, so it seems I rose above it all._

_He talked a lot about my brothers, and now I can’t help but wonder about them. My younger brother and I were close, and he handled my parent’s ire nearly as poorly as I did. I imagine it’s grown worse for him now._

_I should answer your questions, instead of ramble like this. The dragons are wonderous, absolutely beautiful and full of power, yet calm and rational. I’ve never been as scared as the first time I laid eyes on Yongguk, sure he would kill me. And yet he found a way for us to live together. I owe my happiness to him._

_A dragon’s level of mirth is unmatchable. They live for parties and laughter, and you’d think dragons wouldn’t gossip, but I swear they come to ‘update’ Yongguk on it all daily. With the shorter days, dragons have even more time for celebrations; they always enjoy this time of year because of that._

_Most don’t like me, due to some old history. They gave Yongguk a hell of a time when he didn’t kill me. Really, it was a surprise they still voted him King, though he was the obvious choice. Things have gotten better since then though, especially once I officially dropped the title of ‘prince.’_

_It amuses the dragons to hear stories of me chasing princes and knights away. I like to think I’ve proven my loyalty to them._

_Aish, look at me, rambling about my own stuff again. You wouldn’t care about this._

_All dragons’ scales differ, and they shed a few at a time. I keep more than I care to admit in one of the storage rooms. You would expect that the large supply would dull my interest in them, and I keep them under the guise of ingredients for spells, but truth is, they’re more beautiful than any gemstone…_

It carried on for several more pages, personal stories and facts pulled together. Daehyun let them simmer in his mind.

He couldn’t help but recall Jongup’s insistence that Youngjae must trust him a lot. He'd certainly dropped his guard in the letters, considering the length of them had increased exponentially. Daehyun had a new strand of twine to tie around them. He’d worn the last piece down untying and retying it whenever he wanted to reread Youngjae’s letters.

 

 

_Youngjae,_

_The rainy season has officially begun, and flowers cover the land. Everything smells wonderful this time of year, and the birdsong is near deafening. I love it, and as always, seeing Columbiform bearing your letter made my day._

_Speaking of, she bit me today, the first time in years. You should stop spoiling her. She’s not supposed to like you more than me._

_It seems my family’s treaty is with Linderwall, though I admit I know very little about them, past some vague ideas about their war with the Mountain Dragons. Perhaps I recall rumors of them losing a princess of this generation? I cannot remember._

_Regardless, I hope to learn happier things about them. I promised to join Hana when she goes to meet the prince. Hana deserves only the best, and I hope they prove to be a good fit. This is an important treaty for us; my eldest sister went in person to create it and spent near a year there._

The letter carried on, but it contained none of Daehyun’s misgivings and didn’t reveal the sheer amount of time he’d spent wondering if mentioning Linderwall would offend Youngjae.

 

 

By the time the next letter came, Daehyun had convinced himself he’d never get another. It had taken so long he’d seen no other answer than that.

But finally it arrived, bearing news Daehyun had never expected Youngjae to provide.

_Linderwall never lost a princess, only a prince. The cloak I wear is distinctive as what the female members of Linderwall’s royal family wear. I stole it from my cousin because it’s spun with thread that creates shadows. It helped me get away that night._

_People still saw me though, and rumors led to more rumors. Lo and behold, a lost princess._

He’d scrawled several more lines, all crossed out on the paper. Daehyun wished he could read what Youngjae had obviously considered and then decided against saying.

_I hope you enjoy the land. Much of it borders the water, and there’s nothing like the smell of seawater. The grounds of the castle smell like flowers year-round, and you’ll be there during their best season._

_Who is your sister marrying? The Linderwall princes are nice people, though headstrong. Junhong, the younger, is likely the kinder, though only because he holds an affinity for people that Youngwon holds only for adventure._

_You should visit the bay while you go there; it’s by far the most beautiful place in the land. Find Gray Ghost for me -- Junhong should lead you to him, if I still know him after these years._

More crossed out lines, but this time Youngjae addressed them.

_This is such a messy letter. It feels strange to admit to my family after so long. I don’t like considering what they would think of me, if they knew the truth. It also feels wrong to tell you now, for they’ve become a problem recently._

_Perhaps I don’t only tell you my secret out of trust, but also a need to talk._

His letter continued on, describing Linderwall’s constant pushing to conquer the foothills of the mountains, a long-ago decreed no man’s land. Daehyun held the paper tightly between his fingers, his nails leaving creases on it.

_I’ll stop wearing any Linderwall-style clothes soon. It’ll leave me at a disadvantage, but there are few other answers. The dragons are too heated about this already. They’re angry with me, think I’m a spy or whatever. Yongguk trusts me, but if I don’t come up with something, the future will leave my hands._

_Plus, more and more rescuers come for me. Is it related? I don’t know, but I fear opening the door to see one of my brothers, despite knowing neither would be stupid enough to set foot on our land. It takes someone particularly idiotic -- like me -- to break such an important agreement._

_Still, can you imagine their disgust if they found me? Their horror? Their brother, who they believed to be dead, really chose the coward’s way of running away, without ever facing his family._

_If I am recognized and my name spread, it’ll mean war. My family would blame the dragons for stealing me, I know it. They wouldn’t let me get in a word otherwise._

_I would do anything to keep Yongguk out of danger, and I don’t want my family harmed. Yet, what can I do to stop it?_

_If Yongguk wasn’t so respected here, I’d be dead. He nearly killed me himself when we met. Sometimes I wonder if that’s what I wanted. I didn’t think happiness was possible back then, not like I know it is now._

_I feel like I'm just waiting for it to fall apart._

The letter carried on, but Daehyun couldn’t get past the worried rambling that seemed to have exploded from Youngjae at the smallest mention of his homeland.

Linderwall.

Daehyun knew precious little about it, but if it had forced Youngjae to run away before, then surely he should oppose Hana marrying into the family.

Was this his time to rebel? The thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

He couldn’t stand up to his family. Plus, his own choices didn’t matter; it was all up to Hana.

If a war broke out between Linderwall and the Mountain Dragons, his sister would sit in the direct middle of it. Daehyun curled up on his bed, pressing his palms against his eyes. There was a reason the women of Youngjae’s family wore those cloaks.

There was a reason dragons were known for kidnapping queens and princesses. Near the end of the war, a Linderwall princess had slain the twice-ago King of the Mountain Dragons. They'd never forgotten what she'd done, and word of it had even reached Amaurot and made it into their legends, as did the dragons' retaliation of stealing queens and princesses away.

Daehyun moved to the window and stared at the stars. “Show me the way,” he pleaded. “What do I do?” The stars weren't meant to give advice; they spent their time on more important things than individuals and their decisions. Yet, he couldn't resist appealing to them now.

How had one man changed everything?

Daehyun wished life was simple again.

He wished he regretted meeting Youngjae.

 

 

Everything could see him. His eyes flickered this way and that, and he cringed back as salty water flew into the air and struck him. Daehyun steadied himself on the damp rocks. The exposure left him trembling, but his small smile persisted despite his clear unease.

Youngjae moved like a ghost around him, and Daehyun fidgeted like Youngjae’s family could see his secrets.

His sister shoved him with her shoulder, and he glared only to grow shameful in the face of her concerned frown. Of all their siblings, he and Hana looked the most similar. Her eyes were smaller than his, and her chin sharper, but they had the same tan skin and thick lips. Daehyun could read her face almost like his own, though he expected that came from their relationship, not only the physical similarities.

“Are you okay?” Hana’s concern only increased, wrinkles marring her brow. The birthmark near her eyebrow crinkled.

Daehyun tried to summon a smile, but he didn’t think it worked. “I’m fine. Don’t ignore Junhong on my account.” When Hana refused to look away, Daehyun cast a glance at Junhong, who seemed at home, not caring about the spray as it splattered his thin blue shirt. “The water’s a bit… overwhelming,” Daehyun admitted. “There’s so much.”

Hana’s eyes softened, and she agreed. “I knew it was like this, but seeing it is --”

“This is my favorite part of the palace grounds,” Junhong said, cutting off her quiet comment. Daehyun winced, hoping he hadn’t heard their conversation. The water surrounding them reflected the light of the sunset, and yeah, sure, it looked beautiful, but Daehyun had also never been surrounded by this much water, not even when on a boat in the river.

He couldn’t see the shore on the other side.

They stood on a short jetty, which jutted out into the sea. The wide rocks spanned several feet to either side of them, but still the spray managed to strike. Strong winds pulled at them, and despite being a skilled swimmer, the idea of the choppy water dragging him down left Daehyun struggling to breathe.

He missed home. Even the marshes here weren’t right. Instead of the rotten, heavy air he expected, it carried a sour, salty scent. Junhong had noticed his expression when he got a whiff of it. He screwed his face into a sympathetic grimace and just said, “yeah.”

The tidal marshes stretched out behind him, rows of green and yellowing grass which swayed in the wind. Blue water reflected the sun’s orange rays as it started to bed for the night. Daehyun stared straight ahead, his eyes trying to cover the sheer expanse of water and marsh before him. The swamps stretched for miles along the shore, the buffer between the developed portion of the kingdom and the sea.

Daehyun had thought he understood water. The river and its flooding defined the seasons for him, the wet ground where he felt most comfortable.

This place was different. Terrifying. Daehyun looked out into the ocean and saw no end. When drawn on paper, his river and the ocean looked no different. Small waves broke the river’s surface, its banks dotted with trees and cattails. The ocean’s waves broke heavier, a constant series of rhythmic crashes.

He questioned how Hana managed such a relaxed posture.

Junhong had given her the traditional clothes of a Linderwall noblewoman. Daehyun had feared him pulling out a cloak like Youngjae’s, but instead, the long wrap was covered in clashing colors and geometric patterns. 

She’d tied it on over her pants like a skirt, and now it fluttered in the wind. Daehyun’s own simpler clothes tugged at him enough to make it appear as though the wind wanted to throw him off the jetty, and he wished he could manage Hana’s easy, casual stance.

He hadn't struggled like this when he’d visited Youngjae, but perhaps that, too, exposed something in him. Daehyun stole a glance at Junhong, his paranoia questioning if he could hear his thoughts.

Junhong looked nothing like Youngjae. He stood several long inches taller, towering over all those in his presence. If not for his childish face –- young like Youngjae’s, and yet still a contrast –- he could easily have passed for the older of the two.

He had introduced himself as the youngest prince. Standing there with his brother and their parents, the look in his eyes challenged them to inquire why. Neither Daehyun nor Hana took the bait.

Youngjae heavy on his mind, Daehyun had fumbled his own introduction so badly that Hana had grown concerned for his health. He'd almost accepted her offer to tell Junhong he grew ill from the travel.

“Look, a harrier!” Junhong had followed Daehyun’s backward gaze and now waved a hand left, towards the tall grasses. Daehyun startled, eyes following the created trail.

A large, chestnut-brown raptor hovered over the marsh, feathers spread in the wind. Its wings and tail had heavy black barring on it, its belly a lighter golden color. “Watch her,” Junhong said, his voice lowered. “Gray Ghost may be with her.”

Daehyun echoed the name, curious as he recalled it from Youngjae’s letters, but Junhong only shushed him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as the wind sent the bird right, moving her over the golden grasses without even a flap of her powerful wings.

She turned, revealing a bright white spot above her tail, and dropped. Within the reeds, she disappeared. Daehyun flinched as more water splashed against his back. Hana’s hand rested on his shoulder.

“There,” Junhong said. Daehyun followed his pointed finger.

Another bird had emerged from the horizon. Smaller than the golden harrier, it flapped against the wind, only maintaining its position in the air. Aptly named, the Gray Ghost had silver feathers and wings tipped in black. Daehyun could make out a small, yellow beak as it soared over the marsh.

The bird was beautiful, but he had expected more from Junhong’s lead up into it. A quick glance at Hana determined she, too, thought the same.

Junhong remained quiet until the bird landed. “According to legend, Gray Ghost guards the tidal marshes. Myths tell of a foolhardy invader who attempted to build on the land here, and Gray Ghost’s rift with the people ever since.”

Daehyun didn’t dare ask about the houses only a few miles from them. He could see them in the distance, rows arranged strangely close and with little room for gardens between them.

Gray Ghost took flight again. He soared only just above the grasses, long, narrow wings strong as the wind carried him.

It wasn’t until he landed that they moved, the wind whipping against their hair as they started back down the jetty. “Thank you for telling us that,” Hana said, smiling. “I would love to hear the full story.”

Junhong’s face grew red. “Thank you for listening.” His eyes shot over to include Daehyun in his gratitude. “Though I imagine you would find our more modern stories more interesting. Your sister certainly did.”

“Modern stories?” Daehyun echoed.

“Ignore me, I’m getting ahead of myself,” Junhong said, a large smile lighting up his face. “Linderwall has been changing in recent years. We’re very excited to provide more for our citizens. Really, our biggest struggle has become space. Part of your kingdom is uninhabitable, yes? You must deal with a similar situation.”

“We don’t live in the parts most prone to flooding,” Hana said, happy enough to accept Junhong’s explanation and subject change. “Rather, we stay in the surrounding forests.”

Well, of course she rolled with the change. Junhong had mentioned nothing of moving into the no man’s land determined by war. The exposed feeling once again left Daehyun shivering in the wind as though it held a chill and not the warm breath of salty seawater.

“Oh, right. It’s too easy to forget your kingdom’s proximity to the Enchanted Forest. I can’t imagine such a place. We have some small forests in our kingdom but nothing like that.”

“They’re beautiful,” Daehyun said, his voice soft. Part of him didn’t want to offer Junhong any information about his home. “I miss them.”

“You can feel their magic,” Hana said. “Nothing compares to it.”

Junhong nodded, his curious eyes as bright as Youngjae’s. Daehyun bit hard on his cheek at the comparison. His sister’s suitor acted kind and respectful, but he trusted Youngjae’s word above the others.

If Youngjae thought Linderwall had nefarious plans, so did Daehyun.

“I’ve always thought of forests as dark places, especially with the wandering tricksters known to live in them.” Junhong looked worried to admit such a thing, as though he feared offending them.

Daehyun tried to smile. “A careful person runs into little trouble.”

“Perhaps one day I will visit then.“ He smiled at Hana, the lopsided grin showing off a dimple on one cheek. “I’m certain we will go at some point.”

A tension Daehyun hadn’t truly noticed dropped from her posture at his assurance. Junhong looked relieved with the change, and Daehyun locked his jaw.

He wanted to think of Junhong as a bad person, but he had been nothing but kind to them.

“Do dragons still plague your land?” Daehyun asked, blurting the question out, his eyes too focused and his posture stiff. He paused and cast his eyes away, trying to hide his interest. “I understand if it is too personal, but I’ve heard rumors of a princess..."

“A man proves his foolishness through his belief of rumors.” Junhong’s voice had hardened, his mouth set in a grim line. Daehyun’s heart sank at the change. That was stupid of him. He’d only just met Junhong, and here he was bringing up the dark history of his kingdom.

Daehyun swallowed hard, bowing his head and trying to remedy his mistake. “Of course. I apologize.”

Junhong summoned his easy smile once again, but he had closed off, not speaking as openly with them. Daehyun didn’t know whether he had thought he meant to judge their weaknesses or something more sinister, but either way…

Well, to use Youngjae’s words: he’d fucked up.

Junhong’s accusing eyes burned Daehyun like dragon fire.

He fumbled through more conversation, and Hana struggled to placate, but not long later, Junhong suggested they return to the castle. He left them in the visitor’s quarters.

As Junhong walked away, Daehyun stole a glance at Hana, seeing the crease in her brow. They had planned to watch the stars together, and Junhong had mentioned his interest in hearing some of their stories. He’d cut the tour off early because of him, no doubt.

“What was that for?” Hana said, turning to him as soon as Junhong moved far enough away. Her eyes narrowed. “Why did you push him like that? The girl must’ve been his sister! And dragons? How would you like it if strangers inquired about our ogres?”

“I needed to,” Daehyun said, taking a deep breath and trying not to snap. He held multiple secrets close and feared betraying them. Hana knew him much too well. “I can’t explain.”

“By the stars, Daehyun. You can’t do that and then refuse to say why.” Hana clenched her hands by her sides, her bob of dark hair rising in the wind. The knot of her wrap had slipped, and it pulled apart to reveal her pants underneath. “I’m betrothed to that man. If you have concerns, you’re obligated to share them.”

Daehyun sighed. Her points were logical, and they both knew it. “I met a man whose ideas I trust, and he mentioned concerns over Linderwall.” His words sounded more clipped than he planned, and he grimaced.

“What man could make you doubt a kind family?” Hana said. “You overstep, Daehyun. A stranger shouldn’t have a great say over you.”

Anger ignited flames within him. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his nails into his palms. “So what? I do what you do and trust a family and kingdom we know nothing about? Clearly, Soojung hasn't told us everything.”

Hana scoffed. “You climb a tree rooted in the riverbank all for a stranger and then accuse me of trusting too easily.”

Daehyun took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He needed his wits about him. “I daresay he’s become one of my greatest friends.” He wanted Hana to understand his beliefs, to not call him crazy, but he had promised Youngjae to not spread word of him. “Please, Hana. Trust me on this. I’m not opposed to Junhong, nor do I mistrust him, but I can’t banish my suspicions when he dances around answers.”

Hana shook her head. As the stars began to emerge over their heads, she denied him her belief. “If you refuse to reveal your friend’s identity to me, then I refuse to believe them. You could have spoken your concerns sooner. It’s too late.”

“Hana –-”

“Should you wish to speak more, promise me to reveal all and not hide before the stars first.”

Daehyun couldn’t promise that, and so he said nothing. Hana snorted as he bowed his head, silent.

 

 

Youngjae had made it so his next letter didn’t arrive until after Daehyun and Hana returned home. The day Columbiform brought it, Daehyun had grown near giddy with excitement, full out laughing as he untied it from her leg.

The length of it almost made up for the fact that they hadn’t exchanged letters from when the trees first budded to when they prepared to lose their leaves. Youngjae even wrote that he only ended the letter there because he feared Columbiform couldn’t carry much more weight.

As always, he’d included an array of personal stories which left Daehyun gasping in fear and giggling with joy as he read them, his smile trapped on his face. He ran his fingers over the words, his heart pounding in his chest. Daehyun had missed Youngjae more than he’d missed his family.

The letter rested on his desk for several days; he reread it too often to bother putting it away. By that time, he’d read into the words Youngjae had written and found what he truly meant.

Daehyun started packing. It was time for him to return to the mountains again. Before he got far along, a knock interrupted him. Cocking his head to the side, he opened the heavy wood door, unsure who would come at such a late hour.

“Come with me.” Hana didn't give him time to ask anything. “We need to talk.”

“What is it?"

She didn’t respond, only leading him outside. She took him towards the gardens, into the grove of apple trees. Daehyun’s mouth formed a worried line, his brow marred by creases as she took a seat against a trunk.

The area hummed with quiet magic, moving through Daehyun and surrounding him. It took no notice of his presence, though a spark from the base of the tree trunk jumped through him as he sat next to Hana. 

“Is there a reason this couldn’t wait until morning?” He pitched his voice soft, his heart pounding as he watched Hana. The full moon lit up her eyes, which held so much concern that he could guess what this conversation meant. Daehyun had known it would come. His nervous fingers fiddled with a fallen apple.

He wished it wasn’t tonight, as he had wished every other time he thought the conversation was about to start. Sitting in the grove all Amaurot royals relied on when they needed to make decisions, Daehyun knew without a doubt this was it.

Hana didn’t directly answer, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. Her hair brushed back, her tan skin fading into the dark. “You’ve acted strange for months.”

Daehyun nodded. There was no point in trying to deny it. “Things are complicated --”

“Who’s Youngjae?”

He flinched at the sound of her gentle, probing voice. The soft, caressing magic rose to calm him, until he could take deep breaths again.

Daehyun had expected the question, but he’d never heard Youngjae’s name spoken aloud by any but himself. “Did you steal my letters?”

“I read enough of them.”

“How much?”

“Does that truly –-“

“How. Much.”

Hana sighed. “All of the most recent one. Daehyun, you haven’t answered my question.”

“I’ve no obligation to,” he said. “You crossed my personal boundaries.”

“Tell me to quiet my fear, if no other reason. In under a year’s time, I will marry Junhong, and now I find my brother has contact with who? An illegitimate prince?”

“No!” Daehyun jumped to Youngjae’s defense. “Youngjae left of his own accord. He disagreed with the lifestyle and so changed his own.”

Hana’s slim eyebrows crunched together on her face. “You say that as though it should comfort me. Why do you speak so casually with a rebel prince? What does this mean?”

Daehyun set his jaw. “He’s not a --” He cut off. Was Youngjae a rebel? He worked with his kingdom’s enemy. “I plan no harm to Linderwall, and neither does Youngjae.”

“The way he spoke in that letter… What did he promise you?”

“Don’t think so little of me.” He dropped his face so the darkness left it in shadow, only his eyes gleaming as the moon dropped in the sky, filtered light crossing through apple tree branches. “Youngjae’s my friend. I enjoy sharing in his adventures.”

An owl called, a ghostly whinny from the taller conifers nearby. Daehyun dragged his hand across a rough root.

“Will you run away?”

“He didn’t summon me.” Daehyun planned to go. He’d already started to pack.

Hana took a shaky breath. Had she seen his bags when he'd opened the door? “It’s obvious he wants you there.”

Her small eyes were heavy on his face, intent and expectant. Years ago, when they were children, they had sat under these same trees and promised to never lie to each other. Hana expected him to keep their promise because that's what they always did.

“I won’t run, but I do plan to go to him.”

Hana took a heavy breath but didn't speak. Daehyun picked the apple up and cupped it in his hands, not able to look at her.

Finally, she spoke. “I don’t sense any anger over your decision.” She made ‘decision’ sound quite accusing, but Daehyun agreed. The grove had continued to emit a low hum of energy, nothing like the stormy disapproval it sometimes spouted. “I can’t oppose you directly.”

“Don’t oppose me at all.”

“You can’t ask me that.” Her shoulders slumped forward, her energy draining out of her. Daehyun grimaced, regretting his sharp words. “Daehyun, you want me to conceal secrets from my betrothed. I can’t guarantee --”

Daehyun reached for her hand, cupping his around it. Her hand was as worn and callused as his own. “I wouldn’t ask you to lie on my behalf. Just use discretion over what you say. I trust you.”

Hana nodded. “I’ll do my best.” Her eyes flickered to him, holding a final question he couldn’t read. Daehyun signaled her to speak it. “You do this because you have feelings for him.”

She didn’t say it as a question. 

“He’s my closest friend.”

“You ignored what I meant on purpose.”

He tilted his head at her, brow furrowed. “What?”

Hana surveyed him, her own eyebrows rising. “Nothing, I suppose.” They stared at each other, the silence broken once again by the owl’s call. “We should return home. We both have big plans for tomorrow.” The bitterness hadn't left her voice.

Daehyun only nodded. He stood, still holding Hana’s hand. When he could, he pulled her into a hug. The magic made Daehyun’s hair stand up on the back of his neck.

The feeling was not unpleasant, only a small tickle, but Hana shivered in his arms.

It felt like a goodbye. Daehyun’s throat tightened when her arms released him. He couldn’t meet her eyes, and she didn't try to catch his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [Liv4Death](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liv4Death) for betaing this for me. If you're into Seventeen, BTS, or want to read about multiple idols becoming bunnies, check out her fics and give her some love :)


	3. In Which Youngjae Becomes The Dragon Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you,” Youngjae said, his voice abrupt from the brimming silence.
> 
> “For what?”
> 
> Youngjae poked his shoulder with his free hand. “You know. Everything.”

Daehyun dragged himself over the last rock, huffing at the top of it. Okay, so that walk had definitely gotten longer. He shook his head, bending over and placing his hands on his knees to try and catch his breath.

If Youngjae saw him like this, he’d never live it down.

Sure enough, the door opened before he’d straightened back up again.

“Daehyun?”

He hadn’t heard Youngjae’s voice in such a long time; he couldn’t help but grin at it, even if Youngjae saw him dying from the walk.

“Youngjae!” He gasped his name out, managing the last few steps over to him. He had abandoned his old cloak for a normal black one. From the state of his messy brown hair, Daehyun thought he must’ve originally had the hood covering his eyes when he’d opened the door.

Youngjae laughed at his state, and the sound sent Daehyun’s heart aflutter. He couldn’t be happier to see his friend. Youngjae looked almost exactly the same as before, as though he hadn't aged at all in the past year. Daehyun couldn't tear his eyes away from him. “What, did you run here? And I only just read your letter! Why the rush?”

Okay, so maybe Daehyun had gotten a little overexcited and had scrambled up the rocks for the last kilometer. He’d never admit it though. “I was worried about you.”

Youngjae’s expression grew a little darker. “You didn’t need to come just because you were worried for me. I can take care of myself.” He’d forgotten how deep Youngjae’s voice was.

“I know, idiot.” Daehyun bumped his shoulder into Youngjae’s. “I also missed you.”

“Missed me?” Youngjae hid a grin, pressing his lips together. “We write letters more often than most lovers!” He tilted his head to the side, breaking their gaze as a warm smile broke out despite his efforts to hide it.

Daehyun’s heart jumped in his chest, and wow, okay, so he had lots of feelings about Youngjae’s mild displays of happiness. “Guess you were lonely after all, you big sap.”

Youngjae made an offended sound. “Me? Lonely? More like you refused to leave me alone. You didn’t even wait for my response before coming!”

“If you don’t wait for an answer, you don’t deal with rejection.”

“You sure about that?” Youngjae raised an eyebrow and lifted an arm, raising the thin material of his cloak to show off the new magic sword. “I’ll fight you off.”

“As long as no dragons eat me, I’ll be okay.”

Youngjae laughed at that. “You’re in luck; Yongguk’s been out for days. Want to come in? I’m finishing one of the storage rooms today.” He made an exaggerated sweeping motion toward the door, and Daehyun laughed.

“Can I help?”

“Mendanbar’s Throne, no,” Youngjae said, grinning at him. “You’ll fuck it up somehow.”

It had been funny to learn what he’d taken as an expression only Youngjae used was something common throughout Linderwall. He’d almost expected to find Youngjae in the castle, to turn a corner and run into him. That had made it even more jarring when he’d stumbled into a portrait of Youngjae. The artist who had done it was undoubtably talented, but Daehyun found mistakes in Youngjae’s face, in how he held himself. 

He expected it was done after Youngjae had left. It had had a memorial-type quality to it, as though to commemorate someone lost. Daehun had avoided it for the rest of his stay.

Youngjae led Daehyun through the door--a new one, he noticed, though it already had the beginning marks which revealed how Youngjae smashed it into the rocks whenever he grew angry. “Finally broke that door then? Knight or prince?”

“Knight. He ran away when I slammed it open.”

Daehyun scoffed. “And he planned to face a dragon.”

“Almost sounds like you.” Youngjae raised an eyebrow at him, though he couldn’t quite erase all traces of his smile.

“That’s one-hundred percent untrue,” Daehyun said, trailing after Youngjae as he led him into the storage room.

“Remember how you mistook me for a dragon?”

Daehyun’s face reddened. “I expected a princess, and clearly, that was not you.” He surveyed the storage room, admiring the lack of dust covering everything and how Youngjae had managed to create somewhat neat piles. “Plus, I stayed to fight! I ordered you to come out!”

“That just means you’re stupid.” Youngjae led him to the back corner of the room--the only place which still had stacks of stuff in it. “And you didn’t believe me when I said I wanted to stay.”

“It was a shock,” Daehyun admitted. “But it all worked out okay, I think.”

Youngjae dropped a hand on his shoulder, lingering there before turning back to his work. With a small frown, he grabbed a statue from the pile. “None of this should be dangerous,” he said. “I cast a spell to reveal any latent magic, and nothing showed. Just don’t, like, prick yourself or anything.”

Daehyun nodded, taking his warning seriously. He’d heard enough stories of Youngjae’s misadventures to know a mistake on his part could get them both killed. “Can we still talk?”

“Are you sure you can multitask?”

“You know me: always up for a challenge.”

Youngjae snorted. “In that case, we better not.”

Daehyun grinned at him. “I think you underestimate me.”

“Unless you’ve gotten much better with that sword, then I doubt that.”

“Physical strength is less important than mental capabilities.”

Youngjae reached out and grabbed an old book off the pile. “Ah, you’re right. Even if you did improve, I’d still be better.” He handed the book to Daehyun. “Go put that in the library, will you?”

“After you just insulted me?” Daehyun said. “You should treat your guests better.”

“I let you inside, didn’t I?” Youngjae’s response echoed down the halls, and Daehyun chuckled as he carried the book away. The caves looked as he remembered, and he’d thought about his time with Youngjae enough that he found the library without a problem. He left the book on top of a stack, smiling as he looked over the same armchair he'd watched Youngjae in once before. A thin book with no title on its red cover sat on a seat, a small bookmark pointing out Youngjae’s spot in it.

A harsh banging sound interrupted Daehyun's return, followed closely by a loud, “go away!” from Youngjae. The pounding only continued, and Daehyun stared at the front door, unsure who could be on the other side. Whoever it was had continued to knock, until Youngjae huffed and pushed past Daehyun. "Stay here," he ordered.

Youngjae flipped his hood up to shade his eyes and threw the door open. “What do you want?” he demanded. Daehyun got a glimpse of a knight, covered in heavy armor. Sweat streaked down his face and got lost in a thick but short beard.

“I am Sir Sihwan of the Northern Isles, and I have come to free the princess from the evil dragon, Yongguk!”

Had Daehyun sounded that stupid? He cringed a little. No wonder Youngjae had attacked him.

“Didn’t you read the sign?” Youngjae asked. “There’s no princess here.” His voice was sharp but tired. Daehyun wondered how often this happened to him.

“There must be! I will not let you deceive me. What are you—a wizard?” The knight’s eyes narrowed. He looked rather ridiculous, helmet in one hand and body stiff with armor that clanged and clunked anytime he shifted his weight. Daehyun was mildly impressed he’d climbed the entire distance wearing it.

With Youngjae’s back to him, Daehyun couldn’t see his response, but he expected he’d rolled his eyes from how offended Sihwan looked. “Sure, a wizard with no staff. That’s me. Now leave. There’s nothing for you here.”

“Who are you if not a wizard? And my source could not have been wrong.”

“They were,” Youngjae said. “Go home.” He moved back from the door, going to shut it, but Sihwan lunged forward, armor clanking, and stuck his foot in it. “Move.” Youngjae’s shoulders sank with exhaustion that he didn’t allow to seep into his voice.

“You—I know you,” Sihwan said, a surprised note to his voice. He pulled the door open with a strength that sent Youngjae stumbling forward. In a single, fluid motion he grabbed Youngjae’s wrist with one hand and pulled his hood off with the other. “We’ve met before. Years ago. What is your name?”

“What—no!” Youngjae needed to work on his lying. He yanked his wrist from Sihwan's grip, but Sihwan blocked him from going back inside. Daehyun rushed forward, not liking the situation at all, but he stopped before going outside. Youngjae knew how to handle knights and princes. 

Sihwan had finally grasped the memory he wanted. “Linderwall! You’re Youngwon’s brother—you're the missing prince.”

“Who I am is none of your business. I’m not who you came to rescue, so leave.” Youngjae’s voice had hardened, but near the end, it trembled and betrayed him.

“They loved you,” Sihwan said. “The whole kingdom loved you and mourned you, and now here you are.” Daehyun couldn’t read him, couldn’t tell what he thought.

Youngjae drew his dagger. “Get away from me. I will never come back with you.”

“A prince who couldn’t escape his own capture? Fighting you will be easy.”

It had escalated almost too quickly for Daehyun to react, but there was no way he'd let Youngjae battle him alone. He drew his own sword just as Youngjae lunged for Sihwan.

Daehyun had never seen him fight with a real sword, only the dagger he'd used before. Youngjae's speed clearly caught Sihwan by surprise, and he narrowly avoided Youngjae's sword striking his neck. 

Some of Daehyun's fear dissipated. Youngjae could handle himself. 

“Your entire kingdom mourns you—a coward.” Now that Sihwan had adjusted, he matched Youngjae thrust for thrust. Despite Youngjae’s skill, it seemed he was evenly matched. Daehyun hung back, flinching when Youngjae's sword collided with Sihwan's armor, barely missing the leather strap near his shoulder. 

“No wonder they report the dragon as having a princess, for you are no prince.” Sihwan didn't have time to act overly smug over his insults, not when he barely avoided Youngjae's sword, which had aimed straight for his neck. Daehyun watched a couple drops of blood run down his neck and realized Sihwan hadn't quite escaped it entirely. 

Fuck it. Daehyun gripped his hands even tighter around his sword, his jaw clenched. Youngjae had held his own with ease, and no doubt Sihwan would soon give up, but Youngjae already looked tired. Daehyun couldn't risk it; he couldn't stand there and wait. 

He threw the door the rest of the way open, sword raised as Sihwan turned to face him. He moved back a couple steps to regard his new situation. Sweat ran down his face as his eyes narrowed at them. Youngjae breathed heavily and though he didn't dare take his eyes off Sihwan, Daehyun could tell he was pissed that Daehyun had interfered. 

“So you're too cowardly to fight your own battles.” Sihwan spat on the ground in front of Youngjae. “At least your kingdom believes you're dead, rather than knows your shame.”

Youngjae’s face went dark, a blankness Daehyun had never seen on him overtaking his features. He didn’t like that at all.

“Don’t fucking speak to him like that!” Daehyun threw himself forward, and Sihwan stumbled back. He blocked, and Daehyun's wrist twisted to a painful angle. His sword dropped to the ground. Daehyun could do little but stare in horror as Sihwan kicked it into the rocks, far from Daehyun's reach. 

Youngjae growled under his breath and stepped in front of Daehyun. "Go back inside," he hissed, his voice carefully controlled and his eyes still on Sihwan. He raised his sword and prepared once more as Daehyun inched towards the door, unwilling to abandon Youngjae even when he was useless.

Sihwan's eyes focused on Youngjae, a drop of blood running down his throat. He appraised the situation. 

“Neither of you are worth it.” Sihwan sneered at them, his face twisted into a grotesque expression. “If you do not care for honor, we have no reason to speak.” 

He was only saying that because Youngjae would beat him.

Daehyun stared after him with gritted teeth, but before he could glare for long, Youngjae grabbed him by his neck and hauled him towards the door.

“Why did you do that?” he seethed. “I told you to let me handle it!”

“He insulted you! I refuse to sit and watch that.” He shoved away embarrassment at how his attempt had ended. At least he tried, right? 

Youngjae set his jaw, taking deep breaths. “And look what good that did.” He got Daehyun's sword for him, and when Youngjae handed it over, Daehyun caught a glimpse of the tears burning down his face.

“Hey.” He raised his hand to Youngjae’s cheek and turned his head so they met eyes again. Daehyun’s heart jumped in his chest. He hoped he’d say the right thing, as the blankness dripped from Youngjae’s face and left behind too bright eyes and a jaw that dared to quiver. “He was wrong.”

Youngjae closed his eyes, leaning his head into Daehyun’s palm. His thumb stroked up and down Youngjae’s cheek. “They all say that about me. Act as though I’m a coward for being here.”

Daehyun pulled Youngjae into his arms and rubbed his back once Youngjae hooked his chin over Daehyun’s shoulder. “They only pretend to know you. You’re better than them any day, Youngjae.”

“They’re right. I ran away.”

Daehyun bit his lip as Youngjae’s pain seemed to seep into him, stinging his heart and throbbing all the way into his shoulders. “And that was braver than anything they’ve ever done.”

Youngjae said nothing for a long minute, and Daehyun only rubbed his back, trying to stand strong but as a comforting presence. He had no idea if he succeeded.

Finally, Youngjae spoke once more. “I’m so tired of this. More and more keep coming, and I don’t know why, and more than one knows who I am. And with the pressure Linderwall keeps putting on the mountains—if my identity has gotten out, Yongguk will be in danger.”

“That’s why I came,” Daehyun said, murmuring the words into his ear. “Let me share the load with you. I know princes and politics. We can figure it out together.”

Youngjae pulled back to look at him. His eyes glistened with tears. He blinked them, and Daehyun watched his eyelashes flutter. Without thinking, he reached forward and brushed the tear tracks from his cheek with his thumb.

He’d touched Youngjae’s face before, but this time was different. His heart pounded in his chest, and a flicker of need echoed through him. Youngjae’s eyes focused on him, serious and with a sadness that had begun to drain out, replaced by dull determination.

He was beautiful. Daehyun leaned towards him without thinking, the motion feeling so _right_ that the idea of stopping never crossed his mind. He wanted to feel Youngjae's lips, to offer all he could and help him in every way--

But it didn't work like that. Before Daehyun got much closer, Youngjae jerked away, out of Daehyun’s arms entirely. He backed away, moving towards the door.

When Daehyun saw Youngjae’s jaw trembling, it struck him how fully he’d fucked up. “Youngjae…”

“Don’t touch me.” Youngjae’s voice had gone cold, his face regaining that horrible blank mask. “Of course you wouldn’t do this for no reason.” Daehyun hated watching how he took a second to pull himself together and finish. “You're--you're just like them. Go away.”

Youngjae shut the door behind him, the bang jerked Daehyun into action. “Youngjae!”

But it was too late. Daehyun could do little but stare in horror at the cracked wood.

It took time for the situation to sink in, finally helped along by a bug which attempted to fly into his open mouth. Daehyun coughed, snapping his jaw shut. He reached for the door, moving to pound on it. Fist raised, he froze. This was exactly what Sihwan had done--he'd ignored Youngjae's words and continued pushing and pushing. Daehyun had condemned him as stupid because of it.

He refused to do the same now. His fist dropped to his side, his hand opening.

Daehyun couldn’t believe he’d just done that. He shook his head, pressing his palms against his eyes. Stupid. He had spent so long recognizing how unwise he’d acted when he first met Youngjae and thought he’d improved past that.

Yet, here he was, once again offending Youngjae. Daehyun didn’t know what had come over him. He hadn’t thought about Youngjae like that in so long, not since he’d acted so entitled as to assume Youngjae would marry him in return for his rescue.

He had almost forgotten his own stupidity, and yet, perhaps that was why he’d nearly replicated it. His throat stung, and he couldn’t swallow, swiping his hand over his eyes when they threatened to water. No. He didn’t get to mope around about something bad he caused.

He did his best to shove his feelings away, trying to convince himself the pain in his chest came from hurting Youngjae. It didn’t work. Fuck. Daehyun hadn’t expected whatever he now felt to grow like an unchecked weed, considering he and Youngjae had grown close only through letters.

But it had. Now thrust into the sunlight and lost like an anosmiac star-nosed mole, it floundered about, hard and heavy in his chest. The feelings were equal parts strong and stupid.

Daehyun should’ve known Youngjae wouldn’t like him. Youngjae lived with dragons and fought genies and had read more than anyone else Daehyun had ever met.

He sank to the ground and curled his knees to his chest before dropping his forehead onto them.

Should he leave? It was a wasted trip if he did, and despite everything, he still wanted to offer Youngjae help. He might not know much, but he understood diplomats and kingdom politics. Perhaps he could still offer Youngjae something.

Daehyun chewed on the side of his mouth as he thought. His reasons for coming had all seemed so strong when he’d left and even when he’d first seen Youngjae.

Now Daehyun could hardly remember them. He shouldn’t have come.

The sun already began to drop beneath the nearby summits. If he left now, he’d have to hike through the darkness. Daehyun entertained the idea of begging Youngjae to stay one more night and leaving in the morning, but he already had put enough strain on Youngjae.

Not to mention, he needed to accept rejection and not wheedle at Youngjae like some merchant pushing for a better deal. Daehyun huffed, sliding his hands to press against his eyes. He pretended they didn’t water.

He could handle it. Daehyun had never seen a rock hydra before—really he didn’t even know what they looked like, though he figured they had to resemble the tree hydras from back home.

Despite this, his sword had never failed him--except with Youngjae --and he had little but his own bravery. With his eyes on the red horizon, he pushed himself to his feet.

Daehyun guessed he had near thirty minutes before nightfall, but he had a five or six-hour journey until the nearest town. He’d left his pack inside the cave, but Daehyun couldn’t stomach the idea of ringing the bell again and looking Youngjae in the eyes.

Since he’d forgotten his intelligence somewhere along the route, all he had was his pride and honor. It was a stupid decision, but other than beg Youngjae to spend the night, Daehyun had few options.

He had promised Youngjae that he was different than other princes and then acted the exact fucking same as the others. Daehyun gritted his teeth, resting one hand on his sheath as he stared down the mountainside.

His knees shook.

Coward.

He couldn’t do it. Too many warning bells in his head screamed about terrain he didn’t recognize and dangers lurking in the dark. By the stars, he didn't even have water! Daehyun couldn’t do it, but he’d be damned if he begged Youngjae to stay the night.

He’d walk a little way around the cave and spend the night there. That way, he could enjoy the protection of the nearby dragons without forcing Youngjae to deal with him for any longer. Maybe in the morning he’d knock one last time, to get his pack and see if, perhaps, Youngjae's anger had fizzled away enough that Daehyun could apologize.

His heart pounded in his chest like it wanted to escape through his ribcage. He rested a hand against it, trying to calm down, but it seemed the thoughts of Youngjae had sensitized it. His fingertips tingled as though they still lingered on Youngjae’s soft cheek.

That thought didn’t exactly help his heart, nor did the following recognition that he’d fucked any chance he had with Youngjae.

He should have prepared for this. Nothing had cheered him up so much as a letter from Youngjae, and he’d literally run the final kilometer, scraping his hands and knees as he went, all because he couldn’t rest until he sated his excitement of seeing Youngjae.

Daehyun had felt all of that, but somehow he’d never considered if he cared for Youngjae as more than a friend.

Well, until he tried to kiss him.

He settled into a good spot, wrapping his hands over his arms to try and get the goosebumps which had appeared to leave. They didn’t. Daehyun shivered as the sun fell, despite how the chill of fall hadn’t yet settled--wouldn't settle, not with the magic of the dragons.

He rested his eyes against the heavy, uncomfortable rock, no blanket or pillow to comfort him. It didn’t matter; Daehyun knew he wouldn’t sleep anyway.

His back ached from the position when something startled him into opening his eyes. He blinked, eyelids heavy. Despite everything, his journey had exhausted him, and Daehyun had drifted into an uneasy sleep.

He groaned, unsure of what woke him and horribly turned around. It took him a minute of fumbling and grogginess to rest a hand on his sword.

“Daehyun!” Youngjae’s voice cut through the darkness, and Daehyun’s throat burned so badly he couldn’t respond, only pressing his lips together and sheathing his sword.

He didn’t want charity. He didn’t need it from Youngjae, so he would spend the night and leave.

“Daehyun!” Youngjae didn’t let up. “You’ll die out here, idiot. Come inside.” He thought he caught a nervous note in his voice, and a small piece of his heart perked up with hope.

Daehyun shook his head and mashed it into a pulp. Even if Youngjae didn’t want him to die, that didn't mean anything past that they'd become good friends. He needed to accept that and celebrate he hadn't destroyed even that. Swallowing hard, he pulled himself to his feet, using a heavy hand to stabilize himself on a rock.

He would apologize and treat Youngjae with the respect he deserved.

It didn’t matter that he wanted to collapse at his feet and beg for Youngjae to not cast him aside. Daehyun would ignore that. He had to, or else he’d lose even his pride and honor, on top of losing his closest friend.

“Youngjae?” he called back, stumbling through the dark with ill-adjusted, sleepy eyes. He made it to the front of the cave and caught Youngjae just as he started down the rock stairs. “Youngjae.”

“Mendanbar’s Throne, I thought you went out there,” Youngjae said. He sounds out-of-breath, as though he’d just ran somewhere.

Daehyun shrugged, unsure how to respond. None of the formal apology he’d planned on fit right in his mouth.

Youngjae surveyed him, and Daehyun fidgeted under his unreadable scrutiny. “Come inside. You’ll die out here.”

By the time Daehyun crossed the threshold and locked the door behind them, the silence grew unbearable. “Can we talk? I need to apologize.” The words jumped from his mouth, unplanned—as usual. He needed to work on that.

“I won’t just forgive you because of a quick ‘sorry.’” Youngjae didn’t look at him. “You’re probably just saying that anyway.”

“No, I mean it,” Daehyun said, not allowing himself to feel offended. “It was like something I would have done when I first met you. I thought I was better than that.” Youngjae glanced sideways at him, uncertainty clear in his furrowed brow and the way he bit his lip. “If you want me to leave, I will.” He sighed, half-annoyed with his own stupidity and half-sad as his stomach churned with regret.

Youngjae stared at him, pausing his walk. He still chewed on his bottom lip. “You think I’m weak, just like everyone else. You still have some fantasy where I forget about everything I want and go with you.”

“No.” Daehyun shook his head. “I think the opposite. You chose your own life, and you stick with it through any problems! I wish I had the strength.” He couldn’t address Youngjae’s other accusation. It wasn’t true—Daehyun wanted Youngjae where he was most happy—but he couldn’t deny part of him wanted them to have some fantasy future together.

“You came here.”

Daehyun’s throat closed (again), and he swallowed hard to speak (again). That was different, but Daehyun wouldn’t let this conversation get off track, despite Youngjae being wrong. “Yeah. I want to help you, Youngjae, and I have a couple ideas. Everything is up to you, of course, but if you want, I am here.”

“What if I told you there’s no chance of us ending up together through this?” Youngjae’s eyes narrowed as though he waited for a particular answer. “Letting you stay doesn’t mean I’ll promise you anything.”

Daehyun’s heart sank, even though he expected it. “I—wish it was different,” he said carefully. “But I would rather have you as a friend than not see you at all. You’re the most interesting person I have ever met.”

“But that hurts you.”

“Don't tell me you think it would hurt less for me to no longer know you at all? Your letters got me through this past year.”

Wrinkles grew across Youngjae’s forehead as he led Daehyun to the library. He didn’t answer, only settling down and turning the discussion to more practical matters. “You mentioned an idea,” he said. “In your letter. What is it?”

Daehyun tried not to vibrate with anticipation as Youngjae’s full attention focused on his idea. “Hear me out for it, okay?” Daehyun asked. Youngjae immediately grew more suspicious, but Daehyun had expected that. “I know for right now, you are happy here, but you have your entire life ahead of you, and I think you can do more than just organize a library.”

“I don’t just--”

“Please, hear me out,” Daehyun repeated. “I think you should move between your kingdom and the dragons. Yongguk respects you, and you understand the mountain dragons better than any other human alive. If you become an ambassador of sorts, you could live any way you wish and ensure peace between your home and your old kingdom.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Youngjae protested. “You saw the knight today—my family thinks I’m dead! They’d be so angry to learn I’m alive, especially if its coupled with my refusal to return to them completely.”

Daehyun shook his head. He had met Youngjae’s family, and he had passed a locked room with Youngjae’s name on it in their halls. “I imagine they would be happy to stop mourning you, and this way, rescuers would stop wrongly coming for you.”

Youngjae leaned his head into his hands. Daehyun hesitated before raising his arm to rest a hand on Youngjae’s shoulder. He didn’t shy away from the touch, and that was enough for Daehyun. “You’re asking me to do something totally unprecedented.”

“Like a prince becoming a dragon’s librarian?” Daehyun countered. “Plus, I’m here to help you. You know my role at home; I can help with the diplomacy. Promise me you’ll think about it, at the very lease?”

Youngjae raised his head. “I’d need to talk to Yongguk. But—yes, I will. It could be…decent.”

Daehyun nodded, unable to hold back a smile. “Now, let me make you dinner, while you finish the storage room.”

 

  
For all his bravery, Youngjae was damn good at ignoring things. He’d danced around talking about Daehyun’s idea for weeks. Every time he brought it up, Youngjae sidestepped and straight out kept going with other conversation. 

Daehyun didn’t know what to do to stop him.

Except, he did have an idea. It was a bad idea, a dangerous one. His heart pounded in his chest when it crossed his mind, and he couldn’t help but recall his last experience. He also couldn’t help but realize it was likely the best way to go.

Daehyun wanted to tell Yongguk and get his opinion. No, he would go tell Yongguk. Youngjae had told him over and over and over again that he owed everything to Yongguk, and it was him who had spared Daehyun the last time they’d met.

His jaw locked tight enough to hide the slight fearful chattering of his teeth, he breathed deep through his nose as he neared Yongguk’s study. Youngjae had pointed it out to him in the past, telling him to make sure to knock on the stone outside before entering it.

Daehyun had insisted he’d never, ever go in there.

His teeth dug into his lip as he raised a fist to knock. The sound he created was dull and anticlimactic, but it still set Daehyun’s heart pounding in his chest.

“Enter.” Yongguk’s voice wrapped around his entire body before going straight through him, shaking him to the core. His hands trembled as he stepped into the light.

He bowed as soon as he was in the open, barely through the threshold of the giant room.

“I thought I smelled you, prince.” He hadn’t told Daehyun to rise, so he stayed low, unsure of dragon customs. “But I’m surprised you came here alone. Rise.”

He did, doing his best to meet those giant golden eyes. “Your—your majesty, I am here because I—I wanted to ask your opinion on an idea I had.” Daehyun’s voice fizzled out, and he didn’t dare look up see Yongguk’s eyes again.

“Tell me, what ideas do you have that you want my opinion?” He didn’t sound angry at least, only curious.

Daehyun took a shuddering breath. “It deals with Youngjae. I assume he has told you of his current situation, where so-called rescuers bother him, and Linderwall pushes its borders…” Yongguk didn’t interrupt him, so he hurried on. “I have an idea of how to stop it.”

“You’ve still yet to tell me what that idea is, prince.” He sounded vaguely amused.

A burst of confidence jumped in Daehyun’s chest. He squeezed his eyes shut to capture it before raising his head. “My name is Daehyun. And I need to ask you what you think Youngjae will do here for forever.”

Yongguk regarded him calmly but in silence. Daehyun’s breaths heaved out of him. “Daehyun, then. Youngjae is capable of answering that.”

“Do you think he’ll always be happy cleaning libraries and rooms?” A part of Daehyun couldn’t believe his own tenacity, but he also couldn’t stop. “And I have spoken to him about it, but he won’t talk. If you care about him, you’ve also thought about this.”

Another long pause. Daehyun refused to bow his head, clenching his fists and unclenching them. The room grew hotter, and Daehyun waited to burn.

But Yongguk never struck. “I’m not holding him here. He can leave anytime.” His voice didn’t betray any type of anger.

Daehyun’s did. “And what? Become a commoner?”

“Don’t mistake your dreams for his, prince.” 

“Daehyun.” He refused to back down now. “He will want more than this one day.”

“You’re very arrogant to come to me and insist you know what Youngjae wants.”

Daehyun took a deep breath. He needed to calm down before he angered Yongguk further. “I’m not insisting anything. I need to ask your advice.”

“I’ve told you to ask already.”

He was right. Daehyun had been stalling, terrified Yongguk would condemn his best (only) idea for helping Youngjae. He squared his shoulders. It was time. “Tell me—honestly—if you believe my idea has merit. Youngjae’s uniquely suited to communicate between Linderwall and the mountain dragons. He could play the role of middleman between the two and help solve conflicts without war.”

Silence. Daehyun waited for Yongguk to insult the idea, to shut it down. Why had he ever thought returning was a good idea at all when his only plan was unrealistic at best?

“I’m not surprised Youngjae won’t speak of this with you. He refuses to say anything of Linderwall these days.” It was the first time he’d offered any information about Youngjae to Daehyun, but it wasn’t the information Daehyun wanted.

“I want to help him. Please—I don’t know how much Youngjae told you, but we’ve spoken through letters for the past year. I came here again because I could tell he was scared.”

“He may be suited to speak with both, but that also makes it harder. He has something to lose both here and in Linderwall.”

“If you support him—"

“Even with my support, you’re asking us to put aside a long history of prejudice. The same for Linderwall’s citizens.”

The comment sent a thrill through Daehyun. He could hear Yongguk considering the idea. “You and Youngjae both held hatred, and yet, you put it aside.”

“That’s different. I saw a scared kid that night, and Youngjae saw the only solution which meant he’d never return to Linderwall. It has taken work since then.”

“We can put the work into this.”

Yongguk huffed, and heat waves erupted from his mouth. He shifted, scales clinking together. “I don’t doubt you’ll try, but you underestimate the strength of history. There is no right and wrong side to this war—my ancestors and Youngjae’s both committed crimes and dealt with violations to ethical law. Such a thing is hard to overcome.”

“But we have to try.”

“You must have noticed Youngjae no longer wears his cloak. The dragons like him, but even here they do not appreciate the constant reminder of Youngjae’s past. They accept him only because he denounced his title. Should he become a prince of Linderwall again—”

“He doesn’t want that,” Daehyun said. “He would exist between the societies, with only mutual benefit in mind. He has reason to care about both and the skills to communicate.”

“You may have something here,” Yongguk admitted. “Go get Youngjae. We’ll talk.” 

Daehyun obeyed, and when he explained why he'd talked to Yongguk, Youngjae's smile dropped. He said nothing as they returned to Yongguk's cave and repeated what they'd already said.

"So what?" Youngjae said. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you both going to ignore the possibility that I straight up fail? You're quick to want me to play with fire, but we have no answers as to what'll happen. It's not fear of Linderwall that stops me, it's fear that what I do will be seen as betrayal by both. Linderwall will be pissed I'm loyal to dragons at all, and the only reason I've built any reputation here is my absolute denial of who I once was." 

"We can ease into it," Daehyun said. "You can meet Junhong and Hana, maybe." He turned to Yongguk. "Do you have any sort of council? Any group he could talk to first."

He did. "It's up to you, Youngjae," he said. "If you don't think it'll work, I trust you. You understand Linderwall and how the dragons see you here better than us."

"I'll think about." Youngjae's voice was short. He directed his controlled anger at Daehyun. "And that means don't bring it up until I do, not to go behind my back before I'm ready." 

 

  
“You’re an idiot."

“Hey!” Daehyun grinned, not even faking offense. “You should stop saying that, considering we plan to go through with _my_ idea soon.”

“That just means I’m crazy.” Youngjae tapped his fingers against the stone, and Daehyun regretted his retort as his friend shook his head and fretted, his brow marred by deep creases. “They’re my family.”

Daehyun nudged him with a bare foot, blistered and swollen and objectively gross from the day’s travel. Youngjae swatted it away, and pebbles flew from where he rested his elbow. “We spent months planning this, and now we can do it! Your family was happy to hear about an ambassador, even if they don’t know it’s you.”

He had no doubt Hana knew exactly who he spoke of, when he’d sent her the letter. But it seemed she’d played dumb for him. At least, Junhong’s letter had been professional and short, offering nothing but an agreement to meet and discuss terms further.

Youngjae shook his head, shifting to lean his shoulder against Daehyun’s. He smelled of sweat, but Daehyun didn’t tell him to get off. “He’s going to flip shit when he recognizes me.”

“Maybe, but in a good way.”

Youngjae snorted in his face. “How can that ever be in a good way?” Daehyun stuck his tongue out, and Youngjae snorted again, but the serious frown clung to his face like vines to a tree.

“They miss you,” Daehyun said, laying his palm on Youngjae’s back. “I saw that even when I visited. Junhong still refers to himself as the youngest prince.”

Youngjae swallowed hard enough that Daehyun saw his Adam's apple bob with the movement. “At least you’ll be with me.”

Daehyun didn’t need words to confirm that. He’d proven it through actions; they’d spent the better part of a year planning for this, continuing even when Daehyun had to return to Amaurot.

His back-and-forth journey had become familiar to all of them, an old, albeit ridiculous, ritual. Only a week ago, Yongguk had once spotted him while flying and dropped in to greet him while he still had hours of travel to the cave.

Daehyun liked to pretend he didn’t scream when the shadow passed over him unexpectedly. He supposed he had time to get more used to that.

“I can’t believe Junhong agreed to meet you here,” Youngjae said, turning his head so he murmured the words towards Daehyun’s neck. The hairs on it all stood up, and he pushed down a shiver. He shifted away from Youngjae, who frowned, seeming to prepare to ask him if he was alright before seeming to decide better.

Daehyun’s face grew red. Fuck. Youngjae avoided his eyes, and Daehyun couldn’t read his face. Fuck. He probably was regretting even letting Daehyun near him because he’d just overreacted and—

He needed to change the subject. Daehyun groped for the remnants of conversation.

“No doubt Hana vouched for me.”

“But well within the no man’s land, while relationships are so tense!” Youngjae shook his head, eyes wide. “I’ll need to speak to him about safety, if he agrees to look at me again.”

Daehyun rolled his eyes, flopping back against the rock he was sprawled on with a loud groan. “Youngjae! He’s not going to hate you. We’ve been through this.”

“I still maintain you’re wrong.” Despite his words, the hope shined so brightly in Youngjae’s eyes that Daehyun swallowed and averted his own. He begged the stars to be right about Youngjae’s family. Daehyun prided his ability to read people, but a mistake could cost Youngjae so much.

“When am I ever wrong?”

Youngjae scoffed, scooting closer once again. Daehyun let him press against him this time, knowing he needed the comfort.

He ran careful, still tentative fingers through Youngjae’s hair. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

"What'll happen to me, should we do this and my family grow angry?" Youngjae spoke into his shoulder, his words labored. "I could spark a war."

"They’ll rejoice in your return."

"I'm not returning," Youngjae said, raising his eyes. His wide-eyed fear forced Daehyun to swallow hard, empathy rising within him. "I refuse to be their prince again."

Daehyun shushed him, petting his hair. "You, as an individual, matter more to your family than you as a prince."

"How do you pretend to know that?"

Youngjae held Daehyun’s hand in such a tight grip, he thought he heard a crack come from his fingers. Daehyun winced, but he refused to ask Youngjae to lighten it.

If he needed to break Daehyun’s hand to feel more comfortable, Daehyun wouldn’t stop him. Junhong should clear the final foothill any minute. 

“Hana has to know who I meant in the letter, but she didn’t tell them. I trust her judgment too—and the last she wants is war.”

“You put a lot of trust into several guesses.”

“By the stars, Youngjae—” Daehyun knew the phrase meant less to Youngjae than to people from Amaurot, but it was all he had. “—I know Hana, and we can trust her.”

Daehyun wanted Junhong to come already. All that was left until then was stress. He put his boots back on, letting Youngjae take his hand once again after he finished.

They’d created the plan with care. First, Daehyun would greet him, and he would explain what he could, mentioning an ambassador and doing whatever he could to soften the blow of seeing Youngjae.

Then Youngjae would join them and the blow would hit Junhong like summer thunder because nothing could soften the relocation of a beloved family member he believed dead.

“Thank you,” Youngjae said, his voice abrupt from the brimming silence.

“For what?”

Youngjae poked his shoulder with his free hand, his grip softening enough for Daehyun to let out a relieved breath. “You know. Everything.”

“Oh. That.”

“Don’t be an ass.”

Daehyun looked at him, his breath catching at the sight of Youngjae inches from him. He smiled, ignoring how it felt slightly too tight on his face, even after so long. “No need to thank me. I was happy to help in any way I could.”

“Still, you did a lot for me.” Youngjae frowned at him, annoyance evident in his thinned lips. Most likely it was directed at himself for not expressing what he wanted well, not Daehyun. He still didn’t like seeing it on his face. “Thank you.” It was clear Youngjae had settled for the repeated praise, his cheeks flushed.

Daehyun’s smile grew more tender, gentle on his face. “Any time. You know that.”

“I don’t offer you anything in return.”

“You’re my closest friend, and that’s all I need.”

Youngjae leaned in and kissed his cheek, dropping his eyes again after.

When Junhong cleared the final hill only minutes later, Daehyun’s face had reddened clear down to his chest.

"It's good to see you again." Daehyun greeted him with a bow.

"I don't see your ambassador here." Straight and to the point. His eyes flickered around him, no doubt uncomfortable. Daehyun understood. Junhong had, after all, agreed to meet on neutral ground. "Nor do I understand how you came to be here at all. You're a far way from Amaurot."

Daehyun had had vague ideas at best of how to introduce Youngjae to Junhong, and he had no reason for his presence, except the truth. "I came here originally by recommendation of a friend, and I met a man who can help Linderwall and the dragons."

"Why would we trust anyone we don't know? Just because a man is human and understands dragons doesn't mean he'll help us."

"You do know him." Daehyun's voice strained, the words harder to say than he'd imagined. "He's--"

"Junhongie."

Daehyun whipped around at the sound of Youngjae's rough voice. They hadn't planned on him coming out so soon.

Junhong didn't seem able to move, his shoulders stiff as Youngjae made his way towards them. Youngjae stopped right in front of him. He was shaking.

"It's me," Youngjae said. "You can trust me." There was no hint of his underlying insecurity, the fear no one would trust him again.

"Youngjae." As if the sound of Youngjae speaking had confirmed what Junhong knew to be true, he spoke his name in a whisper. "You're--"

Youngjae handled the silence better than Daehyun ever could've. He rested a hand on Junhong's shoulder, and Daehyun started to back away. They didn't need him. 

"But how?" Junhong searched for answers in Youngjae's earnest eyes. "Why?"

"Because the mountain dragons saved me," he said. "And because I can't watch my family and my home start another war."

 

Youngjae looked different, standing in front of the council. He'd dressed in neater clothes than his usual attire, and Daehyun recognized styles that vaguely corresponded to what he'd seen in Linderwall, but besides the vague semblance, the clothes didn't imply any type of origin. Despite standing alone, Youngjae seemed to fill the space he'd been given, an impressive feat for one surrounded by dragons.

"As we all know," he started. He took a deep breath and raised his volume a little higher. "Tensions with Linderwall have continued to rise in the past three years. If it escalates further, I fear war may become inevitable. I don't want that to happen." 

"So what?" The dragon's voice was higher than Yongguk's, though deeper than most human's still. Daehyun had sense learned dragons came in as much variety as humans, different sizes and body types and colors. The dragon who'd spoken had red scales which curled to orange around her snout, her eyes greenish and her wings longer rather than broad. She was much bigger than any other dragon Daehyun had ever seen. "It's Linderwall that breaks our agreement. You can't suggest we take the punishment for their actions."

Youngjae shook his head. "I don't want anyone punished. I want Linderwall and us to begin talking, to start opening doors so eventually there won't be a no man's land at all." 

"I like you, Youngjae." The speaker was also a female dragon, one with navy blue scales that looked near black in the lighting. "But if you think you can heal our relationship with those barbarians, you are naive. Too much has happened."

"Linderwall has agreed to try." That was exaggerating matters, but Daehyun could see Youngjae's desperation. How ironic would it be if after reconnecting with his family, the place he'd found his home at refused to comply? "And King Yongguk believes in my plan."

There was silence and rustling. Scales clinked together and dragon breath warmed the room to near impossible temperatures. Daehyun wasn't even across the threshold, and he feared burning. Youngjae stood calm and sure.

"I've never given you reason to mistrust me," he said. "And Yongguk has proved to be a wise king. You would still be involved in any and all decisions, I would just be the messenger. What harm is there in trying?"

It wasn't until long after the meeting, where they reached a tentative agreement over Youngjae's role and Yongguk's hand in the matter, that Youngjae admitted they'd had him stand on the opposite side of the room as other speakers, as far from the entrance as possible, and he'd somewhat expected the meeting to end in execution. 

  
“I suppose I owe you an apology.” Hana’s voice was soft, possibly to keep Junhong and Youngjae from hearing. The two were seated under a huge tuliptree. Youngjae’s arms were wrapped around his own body, but his back had started to soften from its straight-backed posture. “Though you certainly could’ve explained better.”

Or Hana could just be bad at admitting her own mistakes. Daehyun grinned at her. He didn’t even mind, not when he sat next to her, once again in Linderwall, but this time with Youngjae and with a tentative agreement to their proposition. 

Youngjae’s tension had risen the second he stepped into Linderwall, and it had yet to disappear. The relationship he and Junhong were rebuilding would be anything but easy for a while, but it meant a lot to both of them, enough that they’d make it through.

“I had too many secrets to hold to tell you more.”

“And yet you revealed all of them later anyway. Typical.” Hana snorted, clearly a jest. Daehyun twisted to look into the fountain behind them. It wasn’t deep, and waterlilies dotted the top. 

Youngjae had once told him Linderwall’s grounds were almost entirely gardens, and it had struck Daehyun once again how extreme it was. They even grew a solid portion of food directly on the land, preferring to hire people to tend the crops rather than pay money for people to maintain grass. The land which wasn't gardens was dirt, so no labor was wasted on frivolous displays of wealth through the careful maintenance of useless groundcover.

“Thank you,” Daehyun said. Hana blocked the sun with one hand as she blinked at him, no doubt confused. “You could’ve stopped this before it began, if you’d wanted.”

“It was a good idea,” Hana said. Her eyes found Junhong and Youngjae. “I think it’ll be good for both of them and their kingdoms.”

Daehyun closed his eyes, resting his hands on the rough stone of the fountain edge. He sighed, his peace interrupted by Youngjae’s laughter. It wasn’t a full laugh, not quite, but it sounded so honestly pleased that Daehyun looked for Youngjae, grinning when he found his happiness.

“Who would have thought we would end up marrying into the same royal family.” His sister shook her head, short dark hair swaying around her face.

“Youngjae’s not a prince here.” The words left him automatically. Hana rolled her eyes and asserted she knew that. “Besides—” the rest of her words had registered. “—what do you even mean?” 

Hana nodded towards her husband and Youngjae. “Youngjae, of course.”

Daehyun laughed. “We’re friends.”

“Yeah, sure, if friends do that whole ‘I stare at you until you start staring at me’ thing. You’re very dull for someone who befriended the dragon prince.”

As inaccurate as the term was, considering the mountain dragons had no princes, preferring to elect their kings, Youngjae had picked up the nickname sometime in the past year. At first he’d denied the title, as he denied the term prince for so long, but he’d accepted it in the end.

Daehyun loved it. It implied the right balance Youngjae had fought for and his ability to live his life with a foot remaining in his family’s world, while not stifled by it.

“Hana, don’t speak like that,” Daehyun said, scolding her. “Youngjae and I are merely friends.”

“Junhong and I have a wager running about who will admit it first,” she said, as though he hadn’t spoken. “I bet Youngjae, but it seems Junhong still has some faith in you. I guess you impressed him--somehow.”

“I repaired our family name to him after he realized what you’re like, of course he likes me.”

Hana shoved him, and Daehyun laughed as he nearly lost his balance on the bench. The summer air hung heavy with the scent of flower blossoms and the promise of sweet fruit. “You must recognize how he looks at you, at least.”

“I mean a lot to him. Just—not like that.”

“According to Junhong, Youngjae's been emotionally dense since they were children, but it seems you are worse.”

As though to answer Hana, Youngjae caught Daehyun’s eye on him and grinned. Junhong turned and waved them over.

Despite knowing Hana was wrong, he couldn’t stop his heart from pounding as Youngjae smiled, his cheeks reddened from the heat. Funny how that worked.

 

  
It was only a few hours later that Youngjae knocked on Daehyun’s door, letting himself in when Daehyun yelled. “You’re shameless,” he said. “What if I were someone you needed to impress, and you screamed like that?”

“It’s after moonrise,” Daehyun said. “Anyone who’s prepared to see me ready for bed can handle me acting improper.”

Youngjae snorted. He, too, wore pajamas. Without asking, he jumped onto Daehyun’s bed and moved under the covers. Daehyun rolled his eyes and joined him. “You could ask, dragon prince.” It had become common for Youngjae to join him. His old room held too many memories for him to face every night, and he'd felt more comfortable in Daehyun's smaller guest room.

“Don’t call me that.” Youngjae couldn’t hide the pleased grin, despite his admonishment. “Stop being weird.”

Daehyun didn’t listen. He moved closer to Youngjae, until he heard his breath catch. It wasn't uncommon for them to share a bed, but Daehyun had adamantly spent each night curled away from him, as far as he could. 

Daehyun’s heart pounded in his chest, Hana’s words loud in his ears until his own heartbeat managed to drown those out too.

“What are you doing?” Youngjae breathed. He didn’t sound opposed to it, but Daehyun didn’t know for sure.

“I don’t know.” He was nothing if not honest. His forehead wrinkled with uncertainty until Youngjae used a shaking hand to soften it.

Daehyun’s heart nearly beat its way out of his chest—and what a gruesome mental image that left him—as he waited for Youngjae to pull away. He didn’t, brushing his fingers through Daehyun’s hair. Youngjae’s gaze had focused on him, so intense it amazed Daehyun that it hadn’t set him aflame.

“What are you doing?” he repeated Youngjae’s question, murmuring it. Daehyun didn’t know exactly what he meant. What was Youngjae doing in his room? What were his eyes doing now? Everything swirled around Daehyun, confusing but not bad. Definitely not bad.

“Just looking.”

Daehyun raised his eyebrows, then screwed his face into a ridiculous expression, eyes crossed and tongue extended from his mouth.

“Idiot.” Youngjae poked his tongue, and it surprised Daehyun so much he bit it.

“Ouch.” He pouted. “I think I’m bleeding.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Daehyun rolled his eyes. “Glad to hear you’re concerned with my safety.”

“Want me to make you better?” Youngjae smiled at him, all angelic and sweet.

He narrowed his eyes, suspicious. “You aren’t about to use magic on me, are you? That was horrible last time.”

“I still blame you for that,” Youngjae informed him. “It’s all your fault.”

“My fault!” Daehyun’s mouth dropped open. “How can it be my fault? You told me you wanted to practice a spell.”

Youngjae brushed his hand across a barely visible scar above Daehyun’s eyebrow. “You moved too much. Should’ve stayed still.”

“I’m sorry for getting concerned when you cut a hole in my face.”

“You overreacted.”

“I was _bleeding—”_

Youngjae poked him again, this time over the scar. “Oh, come off it. You were fine. And you still never answered if you want me to make you better.”

“Go for it?” The right answer, it seemed. Youngjae grinned.

He leaned over and pressed his lips against Daehyun’s. A surprised gasp tried to burst from his lips, only for Youngjae’s mouth to muffle it, and his hand slid up his back until it cupped his cheek. When Youngjae pulled back, Daehyun watched him with an awestruck, embarrassing expression. His mouth hung slightly open, his eyes wide.

“Guess that means you feel better?” Youngjae joked. He grew more unsure when Daehyun failed to respond, and Daehyun started to rope his wits back together, not wanting to scare him. Youngjae averted his eyes as he continued. “I wanted to thank you.”

Daehyun frowned. “So you kissed me? Youngjae…” He didn't want Youngjae to feel obligated to return his feelings, not if he didn't reciprocate them.

“And I wanted to say I’m so happy you’re here, and we’re doing this.” A light stain of red grew across his cheeks as he spoke. “I owe you everything for this. I—my family—”

Daehyun could see the tell-tale signs of tears threatening to spill over in his eyes. “Shh,” he started, brushing a tear away as it fell. “You don’t have to—”

“Let me finish." And of course Daehyun listened. "I owe you so much, but I still want more. And—if you’re still crazy enough to still want me, I’m crazy enough to want you too. Maybe crazier.”

Daehyun couldn’t hide his grin. “You’re definitely crazier. That was the worst confession I’ve ever heard.” Youngjae laughed, his voice thick as he tried to hold tears back. Daehyun suppressed his own giggles. “And you’re crying! What is this?”

Youngjae leaned into his touch, taking a shuddering breath. “And yet I don’t see you with any of those better confessors, so who’s really the crazy one?”

“Still you. You live with dragons!”

“I manage a library.”

“A dragon’s library! And you’ve told me since the start that you do more than that.”

Youngjae leaned in for another chaste kiss. “Now I do. And I’m excited for it.”

Daehyun pulled him closer, tightening his arms around him. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's that! This was fun :D I've never actually written fantasy before this, and I definitely went overboard on worldbuilding lmao but I still think this was cute.
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr :) ](https://onlystraightforjongup.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing fantasy, and I am far out of my comfort zone, but I don't think it's too bad so there's that?? Oh and the name of dae's kingdom comes from the book _Utopia_ and was used purely cause I'm not creative enough to name things and I happened to have that book nearby.


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